On the 18^th and 19^th January, the Trust’s Marine Strandings Hotline was alerted to the mass stranding by several member of the public. Approximately 20 were discovered on Longrock Beach and a further 14 found on Marazion Beach.

The matter was passed over from the Trust to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) due to the rarity of the case.

Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency have now confirmed that all 5 of the adult birds that were collected have tested positive for the disease. The recent news gives local marine conservationists cause for concern, according to the Trust’s marine conservation officer Abby Crosby:

“It’s very sad to hear about this case, as with all strandings of dead animals found around our coastline. Seabirds face numerous threats in our marine environment such as lack of prey, habitat loss and bycatch, so to hear that this disease is also impacting populations is terribly upsetting. Unfortunately, we may hear of more stories like this in Cornwall as bird flu continues to be a high risk around the country.

“It’s essential that people stay alert when visiting the beach. Please report any dead marine animal that you find to our hotline immediately whilst keeping your distance. We support and train over 150 volunteers every year to record stranded seabirds, seals and everything in between. This data is vital in helping us understand the threats our wildlife is facing and the overall health of our marine environment.”

Bird flu, or avian flu, is an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds and the risk to the general public’s health is very low. However, the public should remain vigilant and should avoid touching or picking up any dead or visibly sick animal that they find. Instead, Cornwall Wildlife Trust is encouraging those who have found a dead marine animal to call its 24-hour Marine Strandings Network hotline on 0345 201 2626. Dead wild waterfowl and seabirds – such as gulls, swans, geese and birds of prey – can also be reported to the national Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77.

To find out more about the Trust’s Marine Stranding Network and becoming a volunteer, click on the button below. 

Find out more about the Marine Strandings Network