Public urged to report dead seabirds as avian flu spreads

PEOPLE have been urged to report sightings of dead seabirds amid fears that large numbers of gannets face being wiped out by avian flu.

The RSPB has called for an urgent government response to the outbreak, which is also affecting great skuas, guillemots and Arctic terns.

While colonies in Scotland have been worst affected, with 1,000 dead gannets recorded in Shetland alone, it is feared that the virus has now spread to populations on the coastlines of Yorkshire, Northumberland and Suffolk.

“We’re dealing with a highly mutable and pathogenic strain of bird flu that has sadly now got into our seabirds,” James Reynolds, spokesman for the RSPB, told the BBC. “This is really serious because seabirds are long-lived, many don’t reach breeding age until they are five and they typically have small groups of chicks, and even single chicks. Some of our staff out on the reserves where these birds live say we’re looking at estimations that we’ve lost 10 per cent of gannet populations at these colonies and it’s early in the season.”

The RSPB has called for better monitoring of the virus, the introduction of foot baths for visitors and more resources for the collection and disposal of dead birds.

Mr Reynolds added: “If people see [dead] seabirds around the coast, it’s important they call the Defra hotline and make sure they are registered.”

Public health advice is that the risk to humans from the virus is very low.