All 10Humboldt penguinsat Exmoor Zoo in Devon , UK , have die as a result of a sudden outbreak ofavian malaria . The deaths all occurred within nine day of each other , although zoo officials waited a full two hebdomad before annunciate the disaster as they shin to come to term with what had happened .
In astatementon its Facebook Thomas Nelson Page , the zoo explained that avian malaria is harmless to most of the uncivilized bird that hold it – as well as to humans – but is deadly to penguin as they add up from regions where the pathogen does not come about , and have therefore not built up any immunity to it . As a result , they were ineffective to resist off the disease after contracting it from mosquitos that had antecedently fed on other infected birds .
Danny Reynolds , who deal Exmoor Zoo ’s Living Collection , explicate that “ theprotozoanpathogen can not be easily discover in the rake of the penguins and dies very quickly so it can not be seen with blood samples . Unfortunately , all drugs given from pathological reports had no effect and it is now have it off that once the malaria is contracted even the anti - malarial drugs can not serve the septic razzing but the drug can stop other penguins from constrict the disease . ”
Officials at the zoo say they are now meditate whether or not to initiate a fresh penguin settlement , as while outbreaks of avian malaria can be few and far between , there is never any warranty that it wo n’t happen again in the near hereafter . The chances of this come about will bet on which migrant wild birds bechance to have blame up the disease on their travels immediately before passing through Exmoor .
The zoological garden ’s affirmation sign off with a poignant parting to the fall penguins : “ Perhaps this is the time to say cheerio to some of the individuals we have looked after ( some for 23 years or more ) ; – Buster , Newquay , Ludo , Percy , Lemmy , Truddle , Owlie , Blossom , Friendly & Arthur . ”
This twelvemonth has been a tough one for UK - base penguins , with several other colonies also having been hit firmly by avian malaria . For instance , it was announced last workweek that 25 penguins haddied from the diseaseat Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire , which is located in the south - west of England , to the north of Devon .
