VOA科学技术2023--Bird Flu Kills Hundreds of Seals, Sea Lions in Brazil

Bird Flu Kills Hundreds of Seals, Sea Lions in Brazil

Brazilian officials say bird flu has killed nearly 1,000 seals and sea lions in the country's south.

As of December 11, the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul had confirmed 942 sea mammal deaths. The animals were infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza¹, also known as bird flu.

The first cases of the sickness were reported in Brazil in 2023. During past outbreaks in Europe and America, agriculture industries have killed hundreds of millions of farm animals to try to contain the disease.

Officials at Brazil's Agriculture Ministry² said preventive measures were put in place after the first report of bird flu in May. This action made it possible to avoid an outbreak on poultry³ farms. That kind of outbreak, officials say, would have likely led to a ban on such exports from Brazil, the world's top chicken exporter.

Silvina Botta studies oceans and sea life at Brazil's Rio Grande Federal University. She told Reuters news agency the remains⁴ of dead animals need to be buried or burned as soon as possible to prevent further disease spread.

Scientists have found some sea mammals convulsing along local beaches, as the virus attacks their nervous system, Reuters reported. Botta said that under government health rules, the animals must be killed immediately to prevent their suffering.

Botta added that the first case of bird flu-related sea mammal deaths in the area came in September. That is when local scientists first became aware of a large increase in disease deaths. Three towns in the state still have active bird flu outbreaks.

Botta said the spread among sea mammals appears to have started in Peru and then reached the South American continent. The disease has also affected⁵ wildlife in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Brazil's Agriculture Ministry has reported 148 bird flu outbreaks in the country, mostly along the coast. Officials have declared a health emergency to contain the disease, which it says "is not yet considered endemic in Brazil."

The virus has also affected other animal populations in the country. In addition to the outbreaks among seabirds, seals and sea lions, researchers have collected remains of dead porpoises⁶ and penguins⁷ found on beaches. Officials say they have not yet confirmed those deaths were also from bird flu.

Words in This Story

poultry – n. chicken and other birds that people breed for meat and eggs

convulse – v. cause to shake violently with sudden uncontrolled movements

endemic – adj. regularly found or commonly affecting a particular group or specific area

1 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 porpoises   

n.鼠海豚( porpoise的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A shoal of porpoises are well on the feed. 一群海豚正在吞食。 来自辞典例句
• In 1928 some porpoises were photographed working like beavers to push ashore a waterlogged mattress. 1928年有人把这些海豚象海狸那样把一床浸泡了水的褥垫推上岸时的情景拍摄了下来。 来自辞典例句

7 penguins   

n.企鹅( penguin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why can penguins live in cold environment? 为什么企鹅能生活在寒冷的环境中？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Whales, seals, penguins, and turtles have flippers. 鲸、海豹，企鹅和海龟均有鳍形肢。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》