Cape Town - Approximately 24 500 birds have died because of avian influenza since its outbreak in May 2021, and now the disease has hit one of Cape Town’s most renowned tourist spots, the Boulders Penguin Colony, where four new cases were detected with another seven suspected.
With an estimated 3 000 penguins in Simon’s Town, the affected numbers were still very low but Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) and conservation partners are taking the necessary precautions to reduce the spread of the incurable virus.
This included limiting access to the breeding colony and applying strict disinfection of footwear when staff leave the colony.
TMNP spokesperson Lauren Howard-Clayton said the sick birds had to be removed from the colony and humanely euthanised as there was no cure or rehabilitation option for them. They also had to be removed from the colony to reduce transmission rates to other penguins.
Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) resource development manager Ronnis Daniels said Sanccob worked closely with the Western Cape State Veterinary Services, especially when it came to dealing with diseased birds and the decision to euthanise.
“Avian influenza is a notifiable disease, so we need to inform the state vet of every case.”
Daniels said approximately 24 500 individual birds had died since the outbreak, including an estimated 24 000 Cape cormorants. However, the actual number of mortalities was likely to be far higher.
“At the peak of the outbreak, more than 500 affected birds a day were collected. At conservative estimates, more than 15% of the South African population of Cape cormorants died in less than four months, showing that disease can play a significant role in population decline in endangered species,” Daniels said.
Clayton added closing the Boulders colony to visitors was not justified at this stage, but advised visitors to stay on designated boardwalks and look out for any suspected bird flu cases when visiting then report the sick and/or dead birds to TMNP park management.
“Affected birds are weak and may look tame, cannot fly, show signs of tremors or twitches and seizures or loss of balance, and one or both eyes may be droopy or cloudy.
“Please do not approach, touch or handle the birds. Visitors should shower, change and clean their shoes and clothes before visiting other seabird colonies or poultry farms to prevent contamination from one site to another,” Clayton said.
Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell supported TMNP in its call to the public not to approach, touch or handle seabirds.
“Our Disaster Management Centre has been alerted to these new cases. Avian influenza holds almost no risk to humans, but if transmitted from wild seabirds to poultry flocks, poses a great risk to the agricultural sector.”