Cape Town - Tragedy has struck the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was confirmed in African penguins undergoing rehabilitation at its centre in Table View, Cape Town.
The endangered species already faces multiple threats, causing its population to decline.
The centre currently has well over 400 African penguins undergoing rehabilitation that could be affected by this outbreak.
One penguin died and four were euthanised to reduce their suffering and risk of transmitting the virus to other birds since staff started seeing symptoms on Monday, November 21.
SANCCOB clinical veterinarian David Roberts said all five suffered from seizures and 30 other African penguins have been isolated after showing signs of corneal oedema, but there may be others that were exposed that have not shown clinical signs.
“Our priority is to reduce the chance of the disease spreading within our centre and out of our centre. We have increased biosecurity and disinfection wherever possible. The birds with milder symptoms (cloudy eyes) are being isolated.
“If we see that they recover, they will not need to be euthanised, but if their condition deteriorates, we will put them down,” Roberts said.
The centre would be monitoring all it birds carefully to see how many more would develop symptoms until it tested for HPAI again, in the meantime the centre was under quarantine and closed to the public.
“We have had extra biosecurity measures in place since last year, to reduce the risk of introducing avian influenza to our facility. These have included an off-site quarantine facility for keeping penguin chicks from affected colonies… and the euthanasia of any birds with avian influenza symptoms in an area outside our main facility,” Roberts said.
The State vet said they trusted SANCCOB to do its best with controlling the outbreak in its centres and with looking after the endangered sea bird species.
Western Cape Department of Agriculture state veterinarian, Laura Roberts said: “The centre has been placed under quarantine (no birds to be moved in or out without the State vet’s permission) and closed to visitors.
“SANCCOB was asked for an action plan of how they will try to prevent further spread of the disease. SANCCOB will continue to rehabilitate sea birds in need by admitting them to a separate, temporary facility.”
Resource development manager Ronnis Daniels said all new admissions to SANCCOB’s sea bird hospital would be received at the temporary off-site quarantine facility in Cape Farms, close to Durbanville.
However, it was imperative to first communicate with SANCCOB and share information about symptoms and location to determine the best course of action.
Over 25 000 wild sea birds have been affected by the HPAI outbreak in the Western Cape since May last year, most were Cape cormorants.
CapeNature and the SANCCOB hosted the annual Penguin Palooza over the weekend to bring attention to and awareness of the endangered African penguin species and the collaborative conservation efforts of the two entities to reverse the decline of the African penguin species.
CapeNature CEO Razeena Omar said: “The rate of decline of this species is alarming but our conservation efforts may ensure the survival of these birds. Conservation efforts extend to protect other species such as the endangered Cape and bank cormorants.”
SANCCOB said the public could assist by donating at www.sanccob.co.za towards biosecurity measures, fish, and medication as a state of quarantine means.