<
https://theconversation.com/bird-flu-could-devastate-macquarie-island-why-are-we-removing-the-scientists-we-need-to-understand-it-290816>
"Australia’s Macquarie Island lies deep in the Southern Ocean, about 1,500
kilometres southeast of Tasmania. This World Heritage-listed sanctuary is a
haven for species such as elephant and fur seals, penguins, albatrosses and
petrels, and a key site for wildlife researchers.
But it is not safe from H5N1 bird flu. This lethal virus is rapidly spreading
across the Australian mainland and Southern Ocean, already hitting other
sub-Antarctic islands including Heard Island.
However, the Australian government has decided to withdraw all 24 expeditioners
– including scientists, tradespeople and support staff – from the site. It says
this is mainly to protect them from the psychosocial risks – the psychological
harms of working in stressful or traumatic conditions – associated with living
through a potential H5N1 outbreak and the wildlife casualties it may cause.
Those risks are real. Witnessing mass wildlife deaths could be deeply
distressing for any person. But taking everyone off the island means the
scientists who work there cannot document an outbreak as it unfolds, or
understand what is happening to wildlife populations we have studied for
decades."
Via Violet Blue’s
Threat Model - Pandemic Roundup: September 3, 2026
https://www.patreon.com/violetblue/posts/pandemic-roundup-168473011
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
