Ecosystems in polar regions are particularly vulnerable to bird flu because they contain many animals found nowhere else in the world and never been exposed to similar viruses
A death of a polar bear due to avian flu has been reported near Utqiagvik in Alaska’s northernmost community, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has informed.
The death of the polar bear was confirmed in December 2023, after the samples of polar bear tissues collected showed the presence of a virus. The department shared the findings.
This virus is the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that has spread into the most remote parts of the planet, including the Arctic region. The polar bear is suspected to have contracted the disease after feeding on the carcass of an infected bird.
Speaking with news website Alaska Beacon, a veterinarian from Alaska state, Bob Gerlach, said, “This is the first polar bear case reported, for anywhere.” He explained that “while polar bears normally eat seals they hunt from the sea ice, it appeared likely that this bear was scavenging on dead birds and ingested the influenza virus that way”.
HPAI was first detected in the Arctic region in the second week of April 2023 among birds and a fox. The virus is suspected to have travelled to the region via migratory birds.
First reported in poultry, the HPAI outbreak of variant H5N1 started in 2021 after it spread rapidly among wild bird populations and spread to different parts of the world.
Ecosystems in polar regions are particularly vulnerable to bird flu because they contain many animals found nowhere else in the world and never been exposed to similar viruses. Moreover, viruses tend to live longer on dead animals due to cold conditions, scientists said.
Scientists keeping a close watch on the spread of infection in Antarctica fear that during austral (Southern Hemisphere) spring, the contagion may spread in the dense populations of penguins in the peninsular region. If the virus happens to reach the Antarctic, it may lead to one of the largest ecological disasters of modern times, they warned.
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