H5N1 Spreads Among Wildlife in Peru

News Desk

Bogota: Peru is facing growing wildlife losses from an H5N1 bird flu outbreak, with thousands of birds and hundreds of sea lions reported dead, prompting authorities to warn people against close contact with infected animals.

Government data shows that the virus has killed around 63,000 birds in Peru since November, while at least 716 sea lions have also been found dead along beaches across the country.

The latest deaths have raised concern because the virus appears to be affecting multiple mammal species, including sea lions. Authorities fear that the spread among mammals could increase opportunities for transmission to humans, particularly where infected wildlife comes into close contact with people.

On January 27, around 100 dead sea lions were discovered floating near Isla Asia, about 96 kilometres south of Lima. Similar deaths have been reported at several other locations.

Peru’s agricultural health agency has suggested that migratory birds arriving from North America could have played a role in introducing or spreading the virus.

The outbreak is particularly concerning for conservation officials because some of the affected wildlife species are already considered endangered in Peru.

The National Forest and Wildlife Service has urged the public not to approach sea lions or seabirds found on beaches and advised people to keep pets away from the animals.

The outbreak is part of a wider regional spread of H5N1. Cases have been reported in Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay, with Uruguay declaring a sanitary emergency.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that while H5N1 has circulated among poultry and wild birds for decades, its detection in mammals such as minks, otters and sea lions requires close monitoring.

The continuing spread of the virus among wildlife across the Americas has intensified concerns over its impact on biodiversity and the potential risk to human health.