Scientists suspect that at least one king penguin has died from the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in the Antarctic, The Guardian reports.
If the scientists confirm this information, it means that the disease can spread and affect entire penguin colonies, as the birds are now gathering together for the breeding season.
King penguins are the second largest penguins in the world, about 91 cm high. They can live for more than 20 years in the wild.
A case of penguin death due to avian influenza was recorded on South Georgia Island in the Antarctic region. In addition, the death of at least one Papuan penguin from H5N1 in the Falkland Islands was confirmed. More than 20 more chicks have died or are also showing symptoms of the disease.
Since the emergence of H5N1 in the Antarctic, the region has seen a rise in the number of mass deaths of sea elephants, as well as fur seals, sea gulls and brown skuas.
In South America, the virus also killed more than 500 thousand people. seabirds, including penguins, pelicans, and seals.
So far, no penguin deaths due to bird flu have been officially recorded on the Antarctic mainland, which may be due to the fact that there are very few people there who could record possible fatalities.
Avian influenza puts additional pressure on vulnerable polar ecosystems, especially in the context of the climate crisis and overfishing, which could lead to the disappearance of king penguins from Antarctica by the end of the century.
