Seabirds in the Falkland Islands

Since November 2002, tens of thousands of magnificent seabirds in the Falkland Islands (located in the South Atlantic approximately 300 miles east of the Argentina coast) have died.  Mortalities have included gentoo, Magellanic and rockhopper penguins, black-browed albatross, and prions.  For many of these species, this region embodies their largest breeding colonies in the world.

To determine the cause of the recent die-off and find practical solutions, the Falklands government invited WCS’s veterinarians Dr. William Karesh, head of the Field Veterinary Program, Dr. Robert Cook, WCS’s Chief Veterinarian and head of WCS’s Wildlife Health Sciences Division, and Dr. Marcela Uhart, WCS’s Field Veterinarian based in Argentina, to assist government veterinarians and a local non-governmental organization, Falklands Conservation, in conducting health assessments on key species of birds.  The team collected blood samples from 150 seabirds isolated on the islands, and also conducted post-mortem examinations when dead birds were discovered.

Seabird mortality and neurological damage could be attributed to several health factors.  In the past, infectious diseases, such as Newcastle’s disease (a paramyxovirus), have lead to significant losses in both wild birds and the poultry industry; avian herpes virus has been implicated in the health of seabirds; and toxins produced by plankton or algae Red Tides have had a devastating effect on wild seabird populations in various parts of the world.

The samples have been sent to   specialized laboratories to screen for toxins and infectious diseases.  The test results will outline critically important health parameters and show us if infectious diseases, heavy metals, and/or other toxins contributed to the die-off. 

WCS will use these results to provide a proposal for action to the Falklands government, helping to assist officials in the creation of policy decisions that could decrease disease impact on seabird populations.  If the cause of the mortalities is due to an infectious disease, the government could establish new regulations regarding tourist travel between islands, including quarantine and sanitation procedures.  If introduced plankton toxins are the source, the government will need to evaluate its fisheries policies and rules on ballast water dumping locations to avoid introducing new plankton and other organisms into local waters.  A great deal of speculation and accusations now dominates the discussions concerning the recent die-off.  Objective scientific data, such as that being collected by WCS’s Field Veterinary Program, is critically needed to allow for a rational decision-making and planning process. To help fund the WCS Field Veterinary Program and its efforts to save wildlife in the Falklands, click here.

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