Antarctic Skua Die-Off Tied to Global Bird Flu Spread
A UC Davis–led study with Erasmus MC confirms that more than 50 Antarctic skuas died during the 2023–24 summers from H5N1 avian influenza, the first documented mass wildlife death linked to the virus in Antarctica. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, underscore the virus’s global reach, raise concerns for penguins and other wildlife, and call for enhanced global surveillance and preventive actions to monitor and curb further spread.