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Volume 29, Number 12—December 2023
Research Letter

Mass Mortality of Sea Lions Caused by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus

Víctor Gamarra-Toledo1Comments to Author , Pablo I. Plaza1, Roberto Gutiérrez, Giancarlo Inga-Diaz, Patricia Saravia-Guevara, Oliver Pereyra-Meza, Elver Coronado-Flores, Antonio Calderón-Cerrón, Gonzalo Quiroz-Jiménez, Paola Martinez, Deyvis Huamán-Mendoza, José C. Nieto-Navarrete, Sandra Ventura, and Sergio A. Lambertucci
Author affiliations: Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación, Laboratorio Ecotono, INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue—CONICET, Bariloche, Argentina (V. Gamarra-Toledo, P.I. Plaza, S.A. Lambertucci); Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa, Arequipa, Peru (V. Gamarra-Toledo, R. Gutiérrez); Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado, Lima, Peru (R. Gutiérrez, G. Inga-Diaz, P. Saravia-Guevara, O. Pereyra-Meza, E. Coronado-Flores, A. Calderón-Cerrón, G. Quiroz-Jiménez, P. Martinez, D. Huamán-Mendoza, J.C. Nieto-Navarrete, S. Ventura); Asociación Convive Perú, Madre de Dios, Perú (G. Inga-Diaz)

Main Article

Table

Sea lion deaths potentially associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus A(H5N1) in protected areas of Peru, January–April 2023*

Date Natural protected area Island or guano island, if known Clinical signs (no. animals) Total deaths
January RNPARACAS Eyes closed and watering, nosebleeds and difficulty breathing (3); dyspnea, tremors (17)† 295
RNSF Carcasses floating in the sea (5) 25
RNSIIPG Chincha Sur Found dead 46
Punta San Juan Convulsions (2)† 20
Isla Cavinzas Found dead 16
Isla Asia Carcasses floating in the sea (100) 240
Isla Pachacamac Found dead 7
Isla Pescadores Found dead 2
Punta Lomitas Foaming at the mouth, convulsions, 
paralysis of the forelimbs (1) 25
ZRANCON Found dead 9
RNILLESCAS
Found dead
 38
February SNLM Found dead 8
RNPARACAS Dyspnea, tremors (9)† 2,371
RNSF Found dead 691
RNSIIPG Chincha Norte Found dead 16
Chincha Sur Found dead 10
Punta San Juan Found dead 325
Punta Atico Found dead 41
Punta Coles Found dead 104
Isla Cavinzas Found dead 3
Isla Asia Found dead 18
Punta Lomas Found dead 2
Isla Palomino
 Found dead
 1
March SNLM Found dead 3
RNPARACAS Found dead 439
RNSF Found dead 82
RNSIIPG Chincha Norte Found dead 2
Chincha Sur Found dead 8
Punta San Juan Found dead 6
Punta Atico Found dead 50
Punta Coles Found dead 108
Isla Cavinzas Found dead 1
Isla Pachacamac Found dead 1
Isla Pescadores Found dead 2
Punta Lomas Found dead 4
ZRANCON
Found dead
 4
April SNLM Found dead 3
RNSIIPG Isla Palomino Found dead 2
Chincha Norte Found dead 7
Punta San Juan Found dead 89
RNPARACAS Found dead 91
RNSF Found dead 4
RNILLESCAS Found dead 5
Total 5,224

*Data for South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens). RNILLESCAS, Reserva Nacional Illescas; RNPARACAS, Reserva Nacional Paracas; RNSF, Reserva Nacional San Fernando; RNSIIPG, Reserva Nacional Sistema de Islas, Islotes y Puntas Guaneras; SNLM, Santuario Nacional Lagunas de Mejía; ZRANCÓN, Zona Reservada Ancón. †These animals died shortly after discovery.

Main Article

1These two authors contributed equally to the study.

Page created: October 30, 2023
Page updated: November 18, 2023
Page reviewed: November 18, 2023
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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