South Africa: Avian flu outbreak detected among Cape Town's penguin colony at Boulders

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa...rs-2022-09-16/

Avian flu outbreak detected among Cape Town's penguin colony at Boulders
Reuters
September 16, 202210:27 AM EDTLast Updated 8 hours ago

CAPE TOWN, Sept 16 (Reuters) - South African environmental authorities have confirmed four new infections and another seven suspected cases in a new outbreak of avian flu at Cape Town's Boulders penguin colony, a popular tourist attraction and an important breeding site, officials said on Friday.

City and provincial officials said the strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza was similar to that detected among a range of wild seabirds, including Cape cormorants and common terns, since May last year after a similar outbreak in 2018 killed hundreds of endangered penguins and other birds.

African penguins, also known as jackass penguins, are the only species that breed on the continent but their numbers have been falling sharply over the years due to a loss of habitat and declining fish stocks. read more

"Closing the Boulders colony to visitors is not justified at this stage, but visitors must stay on designated boardwalks," said a joint statement issued by South African National Parks, the Western Cape veterinary services and bird conservation body SANCCOB...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-ca...ony-100778950/

More penguins dying from avian flu at Cape Town's Boulders beach colony
Reuters | Posted: 12 hours ago | Updated: 12 hours ago | 2 Min Read

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - More penguins have died from avian flu at the colony at Cape Town's Boulders beach, a popular tourist attraction and an important breeding site in South Africa, raising concerns for the species and for other seabirds.

David Roberts, a clinical veterinarian at the South African Foundation For The Conservation Of Coastal Birds, said at least 28 out of around 3,000 penguins in the colony had died from the disease since the middle of August.

"We have confirmed avian influenza in 14 African penguins since the middle of August," Roberts said, adding that at least another 14 penguins were also affected but not tested for the virus.

"This is a continuation of the outbreak that happened last year and it affects several different species of sea birds and at the moment we are quite concerned because the numbers of penguins that are being affected and dying from the disease is going up," Roberts added...