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Elephant Seals

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Conservation easement saves Hearst coast, creating one of the Pacific's largest elephant seal rookeries
environment28 days ago

Conservation easement saves Hearst coast, creating one of the Pacific's largest elephant seal rookeries

The Hearst family retired development rights on 80,000 acres behind a permanent conservation easement in 2005, preserving 18 miles of coastline for public access while the cattle operation continues. The untouched shoreline allowed thousands of elephant seals to establish a major rookery on Piedras Blancas Beach, a natural reclamation that outlived the resort plans and now defines the coast’s wild, viewable landscape.

via Space Daily|
#california-coast#conservation-easement#elephant-seals
Sub-Antarctic Research Base Evacuated Over Bird Flu Threat to Seals
science1 month ago

Sub-Antarctic Research Base Evacuated Over Bird Flu Threat to Seals

Australia is evacuating all staff from its Macquarie Island research station after forecasts of a lethal H5 bird flu outbreak threaten the island’s elephant seals, with pup mortality potentially as high as 90%. About 24 inhabitants will depart, and RSV Nuyina will collect personnel in late September or October. No active seal-control measures will be pursued due to remoteness, though successful invasive species eradication on the island is expected to aid future seal recovery.

via Gizmodo|
#australian-antarctic-division#bird-flu#elephant-seals
Australia to Evacuate Macquarie Island Staff Over Bird Flu Fears
science1 month ago

Australia to Evacuate Macquarie Island Staff Over Bird Flu Fears

Australia will evacuate 24 Macquarie Island expeditioners in October to avoid the psychological and operational impact of a potential bird-flu outbreak near a large elephant-seal colony, with the RSV Nuyina set to retrieve the team and remote monitoring planned; the roughly $370m station rebuild is temporarily slowed but long-term Antarctic presence will continue.

via ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation|
#antarctica#bird-flu#elephant-seals
Coast avian flu outbreak expands to seals and beaches along California
science7 months ago

Coast avian flu outbreak expands to seals and beaches along California

An avian influenza outbreak (HPAI H5N1) linked to Año Nuevo State Park has spread to other marine mammals and seabirds along California’s coast, with nine more elephant seals testing positive plus a California sea lion and a southern sea otter. Public risk remains very low, but authorities urge people and pets to avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife and report sightings as researchers monitor the situation. The outbreak has caused partial park closures and paused rescue operations, while scientists continue to study transmission and mortality among seals, otters, and birds across the region.

via Yahoo|
#ano-nuevo-state-park#avian-influenza#coastal-wildlife
Bird Flu Found in California Elephant Seals Triggers Beachgoer Warnings
local7 months ago

Bird Flu Found in California Elephant Seals Triggers Beachgoer Warnings

Bird flu detected in California elephant seals off Pescadero marks the state's first mammal cases, with officials saying human transmission risk remains low; SFist's Sunday Links also cover local stories including SF budget cuts to the Environment Department, the Tenderloin's Airbnb rise, an Ebony Alert for three teens, the Chinese New Year Parade, and a Berkeley High mumps alert.

via SFist|
#bird-flu#california#elephant-seals
Bird Flu Reaches California’s Northern Elephant Seals
environment7 months ago

Bird Flu Reaches California’s Northern Elephant Seals

Seven newly weaned northern elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo in California tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1), marking the first confirmed cases in the state’s elephant seals amid a global surge. Public risk remains low, but authorities are intensifying surveillance, closing seal-viewing areas, and coordinating across agencies to track spread and origins. The outbreak echoes 2023’s severe die-off among southern elephant seals in Argentina and underscores how climate change and migratory shifts can facilitate cross-species transmission, with potential long-term impacts on marine mammal populations and broader ecosystems.

via Inside Climate News|
#ano-nuevo#avian-influenza#elephant-seals
Bird Flu Kills Dozens of Seal Pups, Closes Seal-Viewing at Año Nuevo
science7 months ago

Bird Flu Kills Dozens of Seal Pups, Closes Seal-Viewing at Año Nuevo

An outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza HPAI H5N1 has killed about 30 elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo State Park in California, prompting the temporary closure of seal-viewing areas through the end of March. Researchers from UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz are intensifying monitoring of the park’s roughly 5,000-seal breeding colony to understand transmission and outcomes, with the virus's source and spread still unknown as wildlife agencies coordinate responses.

via The Guardian|
#ano-nuevo-state-park#avian-influenza#california-wildlife
New H5N1 Outbreak Reaches California Elephant Seals at Año Nuevo
science7 months ago

New H5N1 Outbreak Reaches California Elephant Seals at Año Nuevo

Researchers confirm H5N1 bird flu in California elephant seals at Año Nuevo, marking the first known infection in the state’s elephant seals; seven of the dead pups tested positive as part of ongoing surveillance that has counted about 30 seal deaths since the outbreak began. Officials say the outbreak likely stems from sick seabirds, with mammal-to-mammal transmission under investigation; the park remains closed and beachgoers are urged to avoid wildlife.

via Los Angeles Times|
#california#elephant-seals#h5n1
"First Transnational Spread of Avian Flu in Mammals Detected in Elephant Seals"
health-and-environment2 years ago

"First Transnational Spread of Avian Flu in Mammals Detected in Elephant Seals"

A study reveals the first known transnational spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza among mammals, specifically elephant seals in Argentina, marking a significant adaptation of the virus to mammal-to-mammal transmission. This development raises concerns about potential impacts on human health, wildlife, and livestock, as the virus evolves into separate avian and marine mammal clades.

via Phys.org|
#argentina#avian-influenza#elephant-seals
Bird Flu's Alarming Spread to Mammals Raises Human Risk Concerns
health2 years ago

Bird Flu's Alarming Spread to Mammals Raises Human Risk Concerns

A new study reveals that the bird flu virus H5N1 has mutated to spread among sea mammals, causing massive die-offs of elephant seals in South America. This development raises concerns about potential large-scale infections in other mammals, including humans. The virus is also linked to an ongoing outbreak among dairy cows in the U.S. and has been detected in mink on a fur farm in Spain. The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, provides the first genetic and epidemiological evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission of the virus.

via The New York Times|
#bird-flu#elephant-seals#h5n1
"Heroic Two-Ton Lifeguard Rescues Young Pup"
science2 years ago

"Heroic Two-Ton Lifeguard Rescues Young Pup"

In an unusual act of altruism, a male elephant seal at Point Reyes National Seashore prevented a young pup from drowning by gently nudging it back to the beach when it was struggling in the rising tide. This behavior is unexpected from male elephant seals, known for their focus on mating and fighting. Wildlife biologists were surprised by the male seal's actions, as it is completely out of the ordinary for these animals.

via The New York Times|
#animal-behavior#elephant-seals#point-reyes-national-seashore