Scientists are monitoring for signs of avian influenza in seabirds in East Antarctica, using colony site visits and remote observations, this season.
Seabird ecologist Dr Louise Emmerson said avian influenza is a highly contagious virus that has caused mass mortality and illness in millions of birds world-wide.
The virus reached the Antarctic Peninsula last summer but has not yet been recorded in East Antarctica where the Australian Antarctic Program operates.
"As part of our seabird surveillance program, we are conducting broad-scale surveys so that we can see if avian influenza is in East Antarctica, and understand what impact it will have on our Antarctic wildlife if it arrives," Dr Emmerson said.
Vertebrate biologists Madi McLatchie and Benjamin Viola travelled to Antarctica in October to monitor penguins and flying seabirds, using ground surveys, remotely operated cameras, drones and GPS tracking, looking for changes in behaviour and numbers.
"We're travelling around the islands off Davis and Mawson stations to find specific locations above colonies that allows us to have a good view over the colonies and their access routes," Ms McLatchie said.
"From there we can take photos or count the birds."
"We're also doing population counts using drones, to tell us whether populations are increasing or decreasing from season to season.
"We have a network of 44 remotely operating cameras set up in different locations along the East Antarctic coast that allow us to monitor populations of Adélie penguins, emperor penguins, petrels and fulmars.
"GPS tracking of penguins is also allowing us to see when the birds are out at sea and whether their foraging behaviour is changing or not."
Site visits to penguin and petrel colonies allow the pair to do on-ground checks for signs of avian influenza.
These signs include drooping heads or tremors, discharge from the nose or eyes, unusual behaviour, or more dead birds than is usual.
"Understanding what unusual behaviour looks like is not as easy as it sounds, but we have excellent communication channels between teams in Antarctica and the Australian Antarctic Division head office, as we investigate anything that looks even a little unusual," Dr Emmerson said.
Ms McLatchie and Mr Viola are also collecting samples of penguin and flying seabird guano, blood and preen oil, for other research needs, and counting and weighing Adélie penguin chicks for an Australian-led, long-term seabird monitoring program for the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Resources.
"This year we are looking at the different penguins' and flying seabirds' roles in ecosystem nutrient cycling, and how they accumulate contaminants, especially as they age," Ms McLatchie said.
In between their colony visits, the pair are disinfecting their boots and equipment, and keeping away from the birds until they are certain that there are no signs of avian influenza present.
"So far, despite a few scares when the seabird team or other expeditioners saw unwell birds or encountered a dead penguin or skua, there are no obvious signs of an avian influenza outbreak in our operational area," Dr Emmerson said.
"But based on the birds' winter migratory pathways, we have identified a real risk that skuas, which migrate between Antarctica and northern Asia, could bring it to Antarctica and spread it to penguins and other petrels."
The Australian Antarctic Division has put in place bird flu management protocols, including disinfectant protocols or site closures, to prevent expeditioners working in the field, or with seabirds, from spreading the disease should it strike.
Learn more about avian influenza and Australia's response to the virus.
