Uruguay confirms first sea lion death from bird flu
Sea lions use these structures for shelter, especially on cold days, Tesor said.
Uruguayan authorities have reported the country’s first case of a sea lion infected with bird flu after discovering a dead sea lion specimen on Aug. 31 on Cerro beach and announcing laboratory analysis on Tuesday, Montevideo reported.
The Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) also confirmed that this is the first case of the disease in a wild mammal. Several birds arriving on the coast of Uruguay have shown symptoms of bird flu, which is plaguing the rest of the world and has killed hundreds of people on Argentina’s Atlantic coast in recent weeks.
Uruguayan marine animal experts are concerned that the bird flu virus could cause casualties on Isla Robbos in Maldonado or Cape Polonio in Rocha.
National Aquatic Resources Director (Dinara) Jaime Coronel said the country had “the largest sea lion colony in South America” and that the introduction of bird flu would mean “possibly fewer sea lion populations”…”
Also on Tuesday afternoon, experts began receiving videos of local beach sea lions convulsing, one of the symptoms of the virus. A sea lion pup was also filmed entering the garden fountain of a building in Montevideo’s Punta Gorda neighborhood, with the recording released by Rescue Animals Marina (RFM).
Richard Tesore from RFM told El Pais that the animals would use the buildings for shelter, especially on cold days.
“In Punta del Este, we saw sea lions walking around Gollero. We had puppies sleeping under the bus at the Punta del Este bus terminal,” Tesor explained.
In this context, and following the discovery of a case in Argentina, MGAP advised the public to “avoid direct contact” with live or dead specimens.
Please inform the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources (Dinara) and the General Directorate of Livestock Services of MGAP (infodinara@mgap.gub.uy) if you find these species with corresponding symptoms or dead specimens, they also advise the authorities. Coronel also said that the N1 flu is easily transmissible to humans.
At least ten animal deaths were reported in Montevideo, Canelones and the coast of Maldonado. The results of the analysis of these samples have not yet been released.