Dolphin and porpoise: First time, avian flu is seen in cetaceans

Subject: Science

A bottlenose dolphin found dead in a Florida canal in the spring tested positive for a highly virulent strain of bird flu, scientists said on Wednesday.
This strain of bird flu is known as Eurasian H5N1.
While experts emphasise that the risk to humans remains low, the spread of the virus to new species poses potential risks to wildlife and provides the virus with new chances to mutate and adapt to mammalian hosts. Besides birds, the virus has earlier turned up in foxes, bobcats, skunks, and seals.

Cetacea

Cetacea or ‘huge fish, sea monster’ is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet.
While the majority of cetaceans live in marine environments, a small number exclusively reside in brackish water or freshwater.
Cetaceans have been extensively hunted for their meat, blubber and oil by commercial operations. Although the International Whaling Commission has agreed on putting a halt to commercial whaling, some nations continue to do so.

Gangetic Dolphins

The Gangetic river dolphin is India’s national aquatic animal. It is a Schedule I animal under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. It has been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Ganges river dolphin can only live in freshwater and is essentially
They hunt by emitting ultrasonic sounds, which bounces off of fish and other prey, enabling them to “see” an image in their mind. They are also called ‘susu’.
It is a reliable indicator of the health of the entire river ecosystem.
It was recognised as the National Aquatic Animal in 2009, by the Government of India.
The Gangetic river dolphin is one of four freshwater dolphin species in the world. The other three are found in the Yangtze river in China (now extinct), the Indus river in Pakistan and the Amazon river in South America.
India’s and Asia’s first National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) will come upon the bank of the Ganges in the premises of Patna University, Bihar.

Avian influenza

Avian influenza (AI) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting several species of food-producing birds (chickens, turkeys, quails, guinea fowl, etc.), as well as pet birds and wild birds.
Occasionally mammals, including humans, may contract avian influenza.
Avian influenza virus subtypes include A(H5N1), A(H7N9), and A(H9N2).
- HPAI A(H5N1) virus occurs mainly in birds and is highly contagious among them.
- HPAI Asian H5N1 is especially deadly for poultry.
Prevention: Strict biosecurity measures and good hygiene are essential in protecting against disease outbreaks.
Eradication: If the infection is detected in animals, a policy of culling infected and contact animals is normally used in an effort to rapidly contain, control and eradicate the disease.