Marine

Seabird Avian Influenza Scale and Wildlife Response

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has caused catastrophic mortality in seabird colonies globally since 2022, with profound welfare implications at landscape scale.

Key Facts

HPAI H5N1 caused mass mortality in northern gannet, great skua, and other seabird species from 2022
Some breeding colonies lost over 40% of adults in a single season
Wildlife rehabilitation during HPAI outbreaks risks spreading the virus and creates welfare dilemmas
Species with slow reproductive rates like gannets may not recover for decades

Welfare Considerations

HPAI causes severe systemic illness and death. The scale of mortality means millions of individual animals suffered. Wildlife responders face agonising decisions about euthanasia versus treatment during outbreaks. Prevention of further range spread requires both surveillance and biosecurity.

What You Can Do

Support wildlife disease surveillance organisations monitoring avian influenza
Advocate for welfare-informed HPAI response protocols for wild bird populations
Engage with research on avian influenza trajectory and seabird population recovery