Bird Flu Reaches Antarctica, Threatening Penguins and Birds

The British Antarctic Survey has confirmed the first cases of bird flu in seabirds in the Antarctic, raising concerns about the rapid spread of the disease among dense colonies of birds and mammals. The birds are believed to have carried the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus on their return from migration to South America. Experts had previously warned of the risk of the virus spreading southward from South America to Antarctica due to the spring migration of wild birds. The presence of over 100 million breeding birds and other wildlife in the region increases the potential for efficient virus transmission.