Conservation teams are investigating the site of the mass extinction.Image: antarctica.gov.au/news/2026
June 19, 2026, 6:12 p.mJune 19, 2026, 6:12 p.m
The archipelago is located around 4,000 kilometers southwest of the Australian mainland in the Southern Ocean and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Researchers found death rates of an average of 76 percent in surveys in October 2025 and January 2026. At some breeding sites, up to 97 percent of the seal pups died. King penguins, gentoo penguins, fur seals and several bird species are also affected.
The study revealed a very high mortality rate among southern elephant seals.Image: antarctica.gov.au/news/2026
The scientists warn of a “potentially catastrophic threat” to wildlife in Antarctica and sub-Antarctic regions. The large and densely packed breeding colonies offer ideal conditions for the virus to spread quickly. According to researchers, H5N1 could spread further to other islands and possibly to mainland Australia. In fact, a first suspected case of the dangerous bird flu is currently being investigated on the Australian mainland.
The new findings come from a scientific study that has not yet been peer-reviewed. For their analyses, the researchers used, among other things, drones that recorded more than 1,600 kilometers of coastline and thus documented the extent of the disaster. (mke)