Chile: marine species affected by avian influenza are expanding
There are already 8,897 specimens of common sea lions, Humboldt penguins, chungungos (Lontra felina), minor cetaceans and huillín (Lontra provocax), which have been stranded dead on the coasts of Chile during the first half of 2023, mainly in the north.
The epidemiological situation of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) by H5 subtype of Eurasian lineage has continued to spread. There are 12 regions of the country that have registered marine fauna protected by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Law with positivity for avian influenza, with positive cases from Arica to Biobío, as well as Los Lagos and recently, the Magallanes region.
To date, a total of 43 specimens of marine animals confirmed as HPAI-positive have been confirmed, corresponding to 32 sea lions, 4 Humboldt penguins, 2 Chilean dolphins, 2 chungungos, 2 spiny porpoises, and 1 huillín. Regarding this last case, it is a marine mammal that ran aground on May 17 in the commune of Puerto Natales and whose sampling result was positive for Avian Influenza, and with it, are the two species of otters existing in Chile (chungungo and huillín) those that have been affected by Avian Influenza.
However, the figures increase considerably if the marine animals stranded dead in these weeks are considered. In total, to date, there are 7,654 specimens of sea lions, 1,186 Humboldt penguins, 25 chungungos, 19 porpoises, 12 Chilean dolphins and 1 dead stranded huillín on the country's coasts. The northern macrozone concentrates the highest mortality of these animals, with the region of Arica and Parinacota leading the ranking, followed by Antofagasta, Atacama, Tarapacá and Coquimbo.
More than 250 marine animals stranded dead in the Atacama: during the past weekend, events of massive strandings, associated with the Avian Influenza emergency and accentuated by the phenomenon of tidal waves, in different points in the region, mainly on the coast of Chañaral, where there have been more than 227 strandings of dead sea lions and a total of 45 Humboldt penguins in the area.
