Robb Report
December 5, 2024
By Dalton Johnson
After traveling to Antarctica, journalist Dalton Johnson explores how citizen science programs aboard cruise ships are helping to monitor the spread of avian flu in the region and interviews AdventureSmith’s Todd Smith about the enhanced biosecurity measures being implemented to protect wildlife. The following sections have been excerpted and paraphrased from a full article originally published in the Robb Report.
Citizen science programs aboard cruise ships are documenting outbreaks in areas where researchers seldom tread.
BAH-DING: “Hello, Expeditioners, and thank you for your patience,” the intercom on Aurora Expeditions’s ship, the Sylvia Earle, greets those preparing to disembark for a landing on the Antarctica Peninsula, “We have been delayed today, as we suspect there could be Avian Flu on land, so our landing will be changed to a Zodiac-only ride. Thank you for understanding.”
Many of the vessels visit the same locations year after year and can provide valuable information on changes in wildlife colonies. Last season, many of the reported cases of suspected HPAI and mortality events in the sub-Antarctic were discovered and reported by tourism vessels.
Ships operated by Abercrombie & Kent, Aurora Expeditions, HX Hurtigruten Expeditions, Lindblad Expeditions, Quark Expeditions, Viking Cruises, and AdventureSmith Explorations are a few with citizen science programs. Nevertheless, tourists are still part of the problem, and that’s why even amateur scientists are subject to strict biosecurity measures.
“Biosecurity measures have always been in place for Antarctica,” said Todd Smith, founder of AdventureSmith. “As anyone who’s been to Antarctica knows, boot washing every time you return to the ship and ‘Don’t Pack a Pest’ guidelines have been long-standing. Due to the threat of bird flu, additional protocols evolved to include: visitor site assessment of signs of HPAI in wildlife colonies before landing; maintaining a minimum distance of 15 feet from Antarctic wildlife; refraining from sitting, kneeling, crouching/squatting or lying down on the ground or snow; and refraining from leaving any equipment on the ground close to animal activity.”
