Bird flu has probably hit Marion Island, threatening almost half of the world’s wandering albatrosses, the South African government has reported. At the same time, bird flu outbreaks in Europe are increasing as the northern winter approaches.
Marion Island is one of the two uninhabited Prince Edward Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about 2 000 kms southeast of Cape Town. Both are home to large sea bird colonies.
Bird flu is suspected to have reached Marion Island and is possibly responsible for deaths in three breeding seabird species, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said in a cautious statement.
It said the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) had spread across the globe since 2021, and had reached Antarctica in February this year.
“The virus can be transported long distances by migrating birds, and this is likely how the virus arrived on Marion Island,” the statement said.
“The Prince Edward Islands, comprising Marion Island and Prince Edward Island, are breeding and moulting sites for millions of seabirds, including almost half of the world’s Wandering Albatrosses and hundreds of thousands of penguins, and are home to large numbers of Southern Elephant Seals and Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic Fur Seals.
“The situation is being closely monitored by the 11 field personnel overwintering on the island, who have been trained to recognise possible HPAI signs in birds and seals.”
There have so far been only a few noted mortalities on Marion Island – a brown skua, two southern giant petrels and three albatross chicks. However, the virus has killed thousands of sea birds and marine mammals in multiple countries.
Europe prepares for a bird flu winter
Bird flu outbreaks in Europe are increasing as the northern winter approaches.
New outbreaks are happening “all over Europe”, Poultry World reported.
It said there had been outbreaks in Austria, France (including on two farms with vaccinated ducks), Germany, the United Kingdom and Hungary, which reported 30 outbreaks in a single week.
Authorities across Europe were warning that the bird flu risk was increasing rapidly, the publication said.
