Wildlife

Wild Avian Influenza Seabird Colony Impact: Monitoring

HPAI caused catastrophic seabird colony losses requiring ongoing monitoring to assess recovery and welfare.

Key Facts

Gannet colonies at Bass Rock and Bempton suffered 25-40% mortality from HPAI in 2022
Great skua experienced population-level impacts potentially threatening regional survival
Seabird recovery monitoring requires multi-year tracking of breeding numbers and productivity
Biosecurity prevents human spread of HPAI to captive birds but cannot protect wild colonies

Welfare Considerations

Seabirds dying from HPAI experience neurological suffering from seizures and paralysis. Colony-level impacts cause disruption of established pair bonds and territorial structure with welfare costs to survivors. Monitoring supports understanding of recovery timescales and welfare impact assessment.

What You Can Do

Report sick or dying seabirds to APHA bird disease reporting line
Support RSPB seabird recovery monitoring programmes at key colonies
Avoid handling dead seabirds - report and photograph location only