Avian Influenza
It has affected populations of sea lions and other marine mammals
this Bird flu epidemic continues to spread On the coast of Chubut province Affecting sea lions and now elephant sealsand As penguin season officially begins, aim to prevent spread For other species, implement health protocols.
Fernando Bersano, director of the province’s wildlife management agency, issues a warning about #LA17 That Mortality rates may increase in Chubut colonies(…) If you look at what happened before in Chile or Peru etc., the mortality rate from this disease was significant and you were almost talking about it in some places 3% to 10% of the population that’s a lot Elsewhere, sometimes as much as 60% of the population. “
Bersano added that based on “more conservative” statistics, this Mortality rates in Chubut colonies may have reached “(…) 9,000 to 10,000 animals I believe that with the release of today’s reports on deaths and abortion cases I don’t know if this will wipe them out, but At least population When the census is conducted next year will decrease or stagnate.
The fauna director clarified that it is difficult to know whether we are on an upward curve or peak of the disease.due to the vastness of the territory, it was not possible to collect samples in all colonies.
However, he stressed that all suspected cases were considered positive and, in the case of dead animals, confirmed by laboratory analysis. “The sampling pressure has to be high enough so that you can take the data every day and say, OK, yes, our numbers are going up, have we peaked.”
Compared with other provinces affected by avian influenza, Bersano said, “(…) the mortality rate in Rio Negro is still higher than ours. So I think that’s going to happen all along the coast this season. To give you an idea, Of the 18 days we had, there were only two days where no deaths were recorded, and the records have been there ever since. “
What needs to be added is Penguin viewing season starts on Friday, September 15th in different habitats in Chubut Provinceand will apply protocols to avoid contagion and minimize possible impacts.
In this sense, the Director of the Animal Center stated that the only thing that can be controlled is entering the protected area and taking the necessary caution, although it is difficult to avoid substances that enter through interactions between species in the sea and nature.