*Relevant authorities (see below) can report suspected and confirmed cases of HPAI to SCAR AWHN via the reporting form (previously provided) or via contacting AWHN This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza is a highly contagious viral disease, that comprises the avian strains of the influenza A virus, which comprises both low pathogenicity (little to no disease) and high pathogenicity strains (causes high levels of morbidity and mortality in poultry and wild birds). Since 2021, a highly pathogenicity strain of avian influenza known as HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b has caused significant outbreaks, decimating wild birds in the UK, Europe, South Africa and the Americas, and pinnipeds in South America. Since this outbreak began, millions of seabirds and tens of thousands of pinnipeds have died globally due to the disease. Many seabird colonies have experience significant loses with up to 50-60% mortality rates (e.g., Great Skua and Gannets). Oceania (Australia, New Zealand) and Antarctica were the only continents free of the disease until the 23 October 2023, when the first case was confirmed via PCR test on Bird Island, in the sub-Antarctic.

Given the dense breeding colonies of wildlife in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions, HPAI is expected to have devastating impacts on the wildlife and to lead to catastrophic breeding failure and mortality events in the region. Ongoing surveillance and monitoring of the situation are essential to monitor the spread of HPAI in the region but also to understand its impacts. To assist with monitoring the movement of HPAI throughout the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic regions but to also increase our understanding of its impacts on wildlife populations, the Antarctic Wildlife Health Network (AWHN) have established a central repository to record and monitor all suspected and confirmed HPAI outbreaks in the region.

SCAR Antarctic Wildlife Health Network HPAI Database

The Antarctic Wildlife Health Network (AWHN) has established a HPAI database to monitor and record information submitted to the AWHN on the spread of HPAI outbreaks in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica throughout the 2023/24 Austral Summer. This database will form a central reporting database to collate detailed scientific information on all suspected and confirmed outbreaks throughout the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica. The AWHN will also provide regular updates on current cases and recommendations via table 1 below on this website, a visual display of all cases via MAPPPD (http://www.penguinmap.com/mapppd/) and regular bulletins

How will SCAR use this data?

Information submitted to AWHN database will be used to:

• Monitor the movement and spread of HPAI in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic region.
• Update the AWHN risk assessment for wildlife species and geographical regions.
• Update recommendations and guidelines for surveillance, monitoring and response to HPAI as we learn from this outbreak.
• Update the polar community on current suspected and confirmed outbreaks of HPAI and to further understand the biology and movement of this virus.
• Analyse the movement of HPAI and its impacts on wildlife colonies based on reported data.

From submissions, the following information will be made publicly available to the wider community via this website and MAPPPD.

• Date reported.
• Region (sub-Antarctic/Antarctic)
• Site Details (Site Name, Latitude/Longitude)
• Species Affected
• Status (suspected/confirmed)
  • Type of Test

This database is moderated by Dr. Meagan Dewar (Federation University, Chair, SCAR Antarctic Wildlife Health Network) and Dr. Michelle Wille (University of Melbourne, SCAR Antarctic Wildlife Health Network). For enquiries related to the database, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All suspected cases will be viewed by one of the SCAR Antarctic Wildlife Health Networks Avian Influenza experts.

*Please note, SCAR does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original data submitted to the AWHN database.

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Current Suspected and Confirmed Cases in the Region

The table below lists all known suspected and confirmed cases HPAI, in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica. Data in this table is collated from reports made directly to AWHN data portal, WAHIS, and direct communication with AWHN. The results in this table are updated regularly and when information is publicly available.  

Table 1. A list of suspected and confirmed HPAI events in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica.

Date Reported	Region	Site Details	Species Affected	Status
23rd October 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Bird Island 54.00.58° S, 38.0418° W	Brown Skuas	Confirmed
25th October 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Hound Bay 54.3692° S, 36.2101° W	Brown Skuas, Kelp Gulls	Confirmed 11th November 2023
27th October 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Royal Bay (Moltke) 54.5253° S, 36.0711° W	Brown Skuas, Kelp Gulls	Confirmed 11th November 2023
27th October 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Royal Bay (Moltke) 54.5253° S, 36.0711° W	Elephant Seals, Giant Petrel	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
29th October 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Harpon  54.2786° S, 36.6187° W	Brown Skuas	Confirmed 11th November 2023
29th October 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Harpon  54.2786° S, 36.6187° W	Giant Petrel	Suspected - Awaiting Tests
3rd November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Gold Harbour 54.6265° S, 35.9421° W	Elephant seal, Kelp Gulls, Brown Skua	Suspected - Awaiting Tests
3rd November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Cooper Bay 54.7926° S, 35.8071° W	Elephant seal mortality*	Suspected - Awaiting Tests
30th October	South Atlantic	Stanley 51.6928° S, 57.8620° W	One Southern Fulmar	Confirmed - PCR Test
7th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Elsehul 54.0088° S, 37.9774° W	Elephant seal	Suspected - Awaiting Tests/further investigation
4th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Penguin River/Brown Flats 54.303° S, 36.5031° W	Brown Skua, Kelp Gull	Suspected - Awaiting Tests/further investigation
8th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Cape Rosa 54.1881° S, 37.4125° W	Brown Skua	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
8th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Peggotty Bluff 54.1622° S, 37.3767° W	Brown Skua, Kelp Gull, Elephant seal	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
8th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Right Whale Bay 53.9859° S, 37.5988° W	Brown Skua	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
8th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Rookery  54.2673° S, 36.3237° W	Brown Skua	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
8th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Grytviken  54.2811° S, 36.5087° W	Browk Skua, Anatarctic Tern*, Elephant seal*	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
8th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	St Andrews Bay  54.4446° S, 36.1757° W	Kelp Gull, Brown Skua	Confirmed 11th November 2023
8th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	St Andrews Bay  54.4446° S, 36.1757° W	Elephant Seal pup/weaners, Giant Petrel	Under Investigation, Awaiting tests
10th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Cooper Bay,  54° 46.8° S, 35° 48.4° W	Skua, Kelp Gull, Antarctic Tern	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
10th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Rookery Bay 54.2676° S, 36.3207° W	Elephant Seal	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
11th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Jason Harbour 54.1973° S, 36.5757° W	Elephant Seal	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
12th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Ocean Harbour  54.3356° S, 36.2578° W	Brown Skua, Elephant Seal	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
13th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Salisbury Plain 54.0567° S, 37.3424° W	Brown Skua	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
11th November 2023	South Atlantic	Pebble Island 51.3128° S, 59.58067° W	Southern Fulmar	Confirmed - PCR Test
	Sub-Antarctic	Bird Island 54.00.58° S, 38.0418° W	Black-Browed Albatross, Grey-Headed Albatross	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
12th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Stromness	Brown Skua, Kelp Gulls	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation
20th Novmber 2023	South Atlantic	Saunders Island 51.2034° S, 60.1050° W	Black-Browed Albatross	Confirmed - PCR Test
26th November 2023	Sub-Antarctic	Husvik 54.1794° S, 36.7104° W	Brown Skua, Kelp Gull	Suspected - Awaiting tests/further investigation

Reporting suspected and confirmed cases of HPAI

If you see signs of HPAI or unusual mortality events, report sightings to the relevant authorities for your region. Please note, the SCAR AWHN is not the official reporting authority for HPAI cases in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic region and you must report it to your relevant authority. Please note, all suspected and confirmed cases should be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health by the relevant authority.

These include:

For National Programs

• For participants working as part of a National Program Expedition or from a scientific base, please follow your programs unusual mortality or HPAI reporting structure.

For Independent Scientists working in Antarctic or sub-Antarctic Region

• Scientists working from tourist vessels must report all suspected cases to your Expedition Leader (EL)/Captain (for private vessels) and your permitting authority. Please do not report directly to IAATO, your captain or EL will take care of this.
• Scientists working independently of a National Program, but not from a tourist vessel (e.g., on a sub-Antarctic Island), please contact your permitting authority.

For Tourism Operators

• All sightings must be reported to IAATO and Operators National Competent Authority

For Residents of sub-Antarctic Islands

• For residents of sub-Antarctic islands, please contact your local government authority to report any suspected events using their HPAI or animal disease hotline.

Submissions to the Antarctic Wildlife Health Network portal will only be accepted from the relevant parties listed above.