Chilean Sea Lions Ravaged by H5N1 Bird Flu

More than 3,300 sea lions in Chile have died of H5N1 bird flu, with other marine animals also affected, including dolphins, porpoises, sea otters, and penguins. The outbreak has caused concern for the conservation of these species, with Humboldt penguins being hit particularly hard, with an estimated 8.5% of the population in Chile having died. The recent spread of H5N1 to a growing number of mammals, including humans, has raised concerns about the possibility of future human-to-human transmission.