Polar environments are known for their unique fauna and their high sensitivity to global change. The populations of birds and marine mammals that breed there congregate in a limited number of sites. They are highly vulnerable to climate change, pressure from the exploitation of marine resources, accidental entanglement in fishing gear and, in some of the southern islands, interaction with introduced mammal species (rats, cats), as well as, in South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula, increasing pressure from tourism. Added to this is the recent emergence of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) virus H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, whose effects on wild bird populations since 2021 have been dramatic on a global scale. What are the concerns for the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic regions with the emergence of this virus, which originated in intensive poultry farming in Asia?
Author: Thierry BOULINIER for POLAR WATCH.
This article is available on the Cercle Polaire website.
The French version is available here.
