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Mass Seal Pup Deaths Linked to Bird Flu Outbreak in Sub-Antarctic Islands

KVIA••CNN Newsource
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A severe outbreak of H5 bird flu has led to the death of approximately 13,000 seal pups on Heard and McDonald Islands, located near Antarctica. Drone surveys conducted by the Australian Antarctic Program revealed a staggering mortality rate of 76% among the 17,000 seal pups born there, with some areas reporting up to 97% mortality. The virus, first detected in this Australian territory, is believed to have originated from wildlife in the Crozet Islands, approximately 1,800 kilometers away, around August 2025. The impact on the adult seal population remains unknown, and while the Australian mainland and New Zealand have not reported cases, the situation highlights the ongoing spread of the virus among wildlife.

Key Details: • Estimated 13,000 seal pups have died due to H5 bird flu. • Mortality rate for seal pups reached 76%, with some areas at 97%. • Virus likely introduced from Crozet Islands around August 2025. • Findings published in BioRxiv, pending peer review.

research wildlife bird-flu antarctica seal-pups

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Jarrod HodgsonJulie McInnesHeard IslandMcDonald IslandsCrozet IslandsAustralian Antarctic Program

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