Mass death among seals Elephant seals in the South Atlantic die of bird flu
The largest wave of bird flu ever documented has been raging since 2022.
Image: dpa
The particularly pathogenic H5N1 virus mainly affects birds.
Image: dpa
However, the virus has also been found in several mammals.
Image: dpa
The largest wave of bird flu ever documented has been raging since 2022.
Image: dpa
The particularly pathogenic H5N1 virus mainly affects birds.
Image: dpa
However, the virus has also been found in several mammals.
Image: dpa
Many female elephant seals in South Georgia have fallen victim to the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. Scientists fear that this could jeopardize the stability of the entire population.
15.11.2025, 22:53
15.11.2025, 22:57
dpa
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- The bird flu virus is not only dangerous for wild birds and poultry, but also for mammals.
- In South Georgia, many female elephant seals have fallen victim to the H5N1 virus.
- The number of female elephant seals of childbearing age has fallen by 47 percent in the archipelago's three largest colonies.
Thousands of elephant seals have fallen victim to the latest bird flu epidemic in the South Atlantic. Between 2022 and 2024, the population of sexually mature female elephant seals on the South Georgia archipelago could have fallen by almost half, according to a study published in the journal "Communications Biology".
The number of female elephant seals of reproductive age in the archipelago's three largest colonies has fallen by 47 percent. Extrapolated to the entire population on the archipelago, the authors led by British marine biologist Connor Bamford estimate that around 53,000 females will be missing in the 2024 breeding season.
Possible consequences for the stability of the overall population
South Georgia is located almost 2,000 kilometers east of the southern tip of Argentina and is one of the most important habitats for the southern elephant seal. At the end of winter in the southern hemisphere, the otherwise solitary elephant seals come together on the beaches of the archipelago to give birth to their young and mate again.
According to the researchers, the severely decimated number of sexually mature female elephant seals is likely to have a negative impact on the stability of the overall population.
Since 2022, the largest wave of bird flu ever documented has been spreading across several continents. The highly pathogenic - i.e. particularly disease-causing - H5N1 virus mainly affects birds, but has also been found in several mammals. In South America, thousands of seals and sea lions fell victim to the pathogen. The population of female elephant seals on the Valdés Peninsula in Argentina, for example, fell by 67 percent.
