By Jano Gibson, for ABC News
The H5 bird flu strain has not yet reached the Australian Antarctic territory, ABC says.
At Berkley Island in East Antarctica, hordes of Adélie penguins are nesting on a rocky outcrop surrounded by broken sea ice.
As they waddle and squabble among themselves, Weddell seals slumber nearby, while a lone skua soars in the sky above.
It’s a classic Antarctic scene, replicated across the continent’s coastline.
But scientists are concerned about a threat looming on the horizon – the deadly H5 strain of bird flu.
“We know that this is a really contagious virus that can spread, but it can be absolutely dramatic and wipe out populations,” bird ecologist Louise Emmerson said.
Louise Emmerson says so far there has been no trace of bird flu in the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Over recent years, avian influenza has made its way across many parts of the world, causing mass mortality among mammals and birds, including Adélie penguins.
After ripping through South America, the virus reached the Antarctic Peninsula, on the western side of the icy continent, two years ago.
And two months ago, it was detected on the Australian external territory of Heard island in the Southern Ocean, where hundreds of dead elephant seals were found.
But so far, there has been no trace of bird flu in the Australian Antarctic territory, a vast region on the eastern side of the continent.
“We haven’t found it in this area at this stage,” said Dr Emmerson, who leads the Australian Antarctic Division’s (AAD) seabird research team.
“But we’re obviously very concerned about its arrival.”
Scientists on ‘high alert’ for virus
Dr Emmerson’s team has been on “high alert” for the past two years, knowing the virus could breach the Australian Antarctic Territory any day.
before the scientists get too close too a colony, they launch a drone to inspect the penguins from the air to ensure there are no signs of bird flu, such as high rates of mortality.
Once they have