Bird Flu Kills Hundreds of Seals, Sea Lions in Brazil

Brazilian officials say bird flu has killed nearly 1,000 seals and sea lions in the country's south.

As of December 11, the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul had confirmed 942 sea mammal deaths. The animals were infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu.

The first cases of the sickness were reported in Brazil in 2023. During past outbreaks in Europe and America, agriculture industries have killed hundreds of millions of farm animals to try to contain the disease.

Officials at Brazil's Agriculture Ministry said preventive measures were put in place after the first report of bird flu in May. This action made it possible to avoid an outbreak on poultry farms. That kind of outbreak, officials say, would have likely led to a ban on such exports from Brazil, the world's top chicken exporter.

Silvina Botta studies oceans and sea life at Brazil's Rio Grande Federal University. She told Reuters news agency the remains of dead animals need to be buried or burned as soon as possible to prevent further disease spread.

Scientists have found some sea mammals convulsing along local beaches, as the virus attacks their nervous system, Reuters reported. Botta said that under government health rules, the animals must be killed immediately to prevent their suffering.

Botta added that the first case of bird flu-related sea mammal deaths in the area came in September. That is when local scientists first became aware of a large increase in disease deaths. Three towns in the state still have active bird flu outbreaks.

Botta said the spread among sea mammals appears to have started in Peru and then reached the South American continent. The disease has also affected wildlife in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Brazil's Agriculture Ministry has reported 148 bird flu outbreaks in the country, mostly along the coast. Officials have declared a health emergency to contain the disease, which it says "is not yet considered endemic in Brazil."

The virus has also affected other animal populations in the country. In addition to the outbreaks among seabirds, seals and sea lions, researchers have collected remains of dead porpoises and penguins found on beaches. Officials say they have not yet confirmed those deaths were also from bird flu.

I'm Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

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poultry – n. chicken and other birds that people breed for meat and eggs

convulse – v. cause to shake violently with sudden uncontrolled movements

endemic – adj. regularly found or commonly affecting a particular group or specific area