The devastating spread of the H5N1 strain has killed millions of wild animals since 2021 and currently threatens at least 40 bird species. Southern elephant seals represent the only formal red list downgrade so far, largely because non-avian wildlife is generally only reassessed once every decade. Meanwhile, BirdLife International is prioritizing emergency evaluations for four heavily hit seabirds, including the Humboldt penguin and great skua. In Scottish colonies, the virus wiped out 76% of monitored great skuas in just two years.
Key points
Avian influenza has driven its first official species extinction risk downgrade, but many…: Avian influenza has driven its first official species extinction risk downgrade, but many at-risk animals remain unlisted.
Infrequent assessments and missing baseline population data prevent conservationists from…: Infrequent assessments and missing baseline population data prevent conservationists from quickly reflecting the true scale of wildlife losses.
Researchers are actively expediting reviews for high-risk seabirds, including northern ga…: Researchers are actively expediting reviews for high-risk seabirds, including northern gannets, Peruvian pelicans, and Humboldt penguins.
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It began with the brown skuas. The migratory seabirds had arrived on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia in 2023, harbouring a deadly passenger. Within months, the southern elephant seals that had come ashore to breed became sick. Mothers and newborn pups were weak and trembling, with many struggling to breathe. What followed was a horrific mass casualty event, caused by the highly infectious avian influenza (H5N1).
By 2025, more than 53,000 female elephant seals had died on South Georgia. That is especially alarming, scientists say, because the island is home to more than half of the global breeding population.
A highly potent strain of the bird flu virus, which first began circulating in the northern hemisphere in 2021, has now spread to four of the five main southern elephant seal populations. In some South Atlantic colonies, more than 90% of newborn pups have died, alongside about half of all adult females.
“This is a horror show for wildlife,” says Ruth Cromie, coordinator of a UN taskforce on avian influenza and wildlife. “The scale of mortality is absolutely unprecedented.”
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