Argentina: Sea lions face extinction due to bird flu

Sea lions, a famous tourist symbol of the coastal city of Mar del Plata and the Valdés Peninsula in Argentina, are facing a serious decline due to the impact of avian influenza outbreaks in 2023.

A VNA reporter in Buenos Aires on October 8 cited a research report jointly conducted by the Argentine Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (Conicet), which said the number of southern sea lions in the Valdés Peninsula, home to the largest population in the South American country, has decreased by more than 60% in just one year.

Before the pandemic, the population was considered stable and listed as “least concern.” However, after the spread of avian influenza across South America, the estimated number of adults over one year old is now only about 19,870.

The number of dominant males has decreased by 43%, while the number of mature females has decreased by 60%. Notably, the number of individuals born in 2023 reached only nearly 5,700, compared to 14,430 the previous year.

Valeria Falabella, director of WCS Argentina's coastal conservation program, warned that this sudden decline shows that populations once considered healthy can still face the risk of extinction, especially in the context of climate change increasing threats and ecological instability.

Scientists emphasize that sea lions are apex predators, playing a key role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems. When one link in the food chain is damaged, the entire ecosystem is affected.

The government of the southern province of Chubut, the only breeding ground for the species in Argentina, has passed the Southern Sea Lion Protection Law, extending protection across the entire coast.

Conservation organizations are also working with governments to plan coastal space and time, minimizing human impacts on sea lion habitats.

Continued investigation and monitoring of the population in the coming months is considered crucial to determining the new conservation status of this iconic species of the Argentine coast./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/argentina-su-tu-bien-doi-mat-nguy-co-tuyet-chung-do-dich-cum-gia-cam-post1069081.vnp