The government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands has reported that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has now been confirmed from 23 sites across South Georgia, including a colony of Gentoo and a colony of King penguins.
On Thursday 18 January, swabs from 3 dead gentoo penguins from Sea Lion returned positive results for highly pathogenic avian influenza. Several gentoo chicks (20-30) and a few adults (1-4) were observed dead or symptomatic. Given the proximity of the affected colony to the airstrip and residential area of the Island and the density of wildlife in the area, a level 3 response will be followed and the whole of Sea Lion Island is declared an infected place. No persons are permitted to visit Sea Lion Island without authorization from the Director of Natural Resources.
Sarah McComb Turbitt, marine biologist from the University of British Columbia illustrates us with a new study published in Marine Ecology Progress Series, from Dr. Marie Auger-Méthé, principal investigator and associate professor at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Statistics and Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF). The article interesting enough refers Gentoo penguins in the Falkland Islands.
On Tuesday 24 January, Veterinary Officers and Falkland Landholdings representatives visited Berthas Beach following reports of several juvenile Gentoo penguin deaths. The unwell and dead penguins that were reported displayed severe penguin pox lesions.
The Veterinary Service section from the Falkland Islands Department of Agriculture has announced that it has received a reported outbreak of avian pox amongst Gentoo penguins in the Falklands.
Greenpeace reports that data from the National Sea Ice Data Center shows that this year Antarctic sea ice will reach the lowest extent on satellite record. Preliminary measurements show the sea ice around the continent has surpassed the previous record minimum set, in March 2017, of 2.1 million square kilometers, dropping to 1.98 million square kilometers on Sunday 20 February.
By Laura Geggel – Scientists have discovered a previously unknown colony of gentoo penguins in one of the southernmost spots these waddling birds have ever been spotted. The discovery is a cause for concern, according to the researchers, who say that climate change is expanding the range of this temperate, non-ice-loving species of penguin.
Gentoo penguins are benefiting from a newly enlarged no-fishing zone (known as a No-Take Zone NTZ) around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia following British Antarctic Survey (BAS) tracking research commissioned by the RSPB.
By University of Bath – Gentoo penguins should be reclassified as four separate species, say scientists at the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, after analyzing the genetic and physical differences between populations around the southern hemisphere.
Two female gentoo penguins are new moms at an aquarium in Spain and are raising the baby chick they adopted as an egg.