Gannet colonies could take 15 years to recover from bird flu
A new RSPB study warns that Northern gannet colonies at Bass Rock and Grassholm may take nearly two decades to recover from the 2022 H5N1 bird flu outbreak. The virus caused a massive spike in adult mortality, significantly reducing the breeding populations essential for colony growth.
Why it matters
The long-term decline of these seabird populations threatens biodiversity and highlights the lasting ecological impact of avian influenza.
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Gannets on Bass Rock were first exposed to H5N1 bird flu in 2022
The report is based on scientific findings and conservation data without political bias.
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