The Polar Retrospective – DOGE impact on Antarctic research, avian flu in the sub-Antarctic, polar bear den cameras and orcas in the Arctic
The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. This week we look at the highly pathogenic avian influenza spreading in the sub-Antarctic islands, new technology to monitor polar bear dens in the Arctic, the impacts of DOGE budget cuts, and killer whales who have found a new home in the Arctic.
The Polar Retrospective is a collaborative effort by the Polar Journal AG team. Each writer chooses a topic they found interesting and important in the past week. The initials at the end of each section indicate the author. We hope you enjoy it.
Avian flu in the sub-Antarctic islands: Australia and New Zealand soon to be affected?
Large and vulnerable, elephant seals are dying in large numbers in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). According to a study published on February 25 in bioRxiv online preprint archives, the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is largely responsible. It is estimated to have come from the South Atlantic rather than from South Africa, the nearest continent.
“A big jump in one go”, explains Jérémy Tornos, an eco-epidemiologist at the Centre d’Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive in Montpellier. “It arrives directly from South Georgia, and between the two, there’s very little land.” Bouvet Island has no scientific observatory, and suspected contamination on Prince Edward Islands is currently being analysed, although no mass mortality has been recorded.
According to the most serious hypothesis put forward by researchers, the responsible for the introductions in Crozet and Kerguelen is the giant petrel, a scavenger and long-distance traveller. The skua could also be one of these contagious disease-resistant carriers. The authors believe that the sub-Antarctic islands of Australia and New Zealand, which have been spared until now, are under serious threat.
At present, the flu is still active in Crozet and Kerguelen. “Counting the dead is difficult, as bodies disappear quickly, either eaten or washed away by the tide”, deplores the researcher. “The living move around a lot, so we’ll have to wait one or two years to get reliable mortality figures thanks to the marking of individuals.”
In Crozet, of the 8 sites visited this summer, only Lapérouse Bay appears to have been spared, and 4 species have tested positive in PCR tests in addition to the elephants. In Kerguelen, the gulls and skuas of Cape Ratmanoff are contaminated, as are the emblematic seals. The seals were affected two months after the first observations in birds in the two archipelagos. Transmission from birds to mammals is the strongest hypothesis of this mass mortality. C.L.
Camera and collar for better observation of polar bear dens
It’s difficult for scientists to observe a female polar bear emerge from her den with her cubs. To give birth, a female polar bear digs a den under the snow and gives birth to one to three cubs, usually in December. Weighing less than a pound at birth, the cubs spend the first few months of their lives cuddled up to their mother, feeding on her high-fat milk. They will gain 10 to 15 kilos before seeing the light of day for the first time when the whole family emerges from their den in early spring.
This crucial stage in a polar bear’s life is still poorly understood. This is because females dig their dens in a changing landscape that is difficult for researchers to access, making it difficult to follow their tracks and observe bear behaviour around the den.
To fill this gap, a team of researchers used a combination of GPS collars and remote cameras to track and observe the behaviour of thirteen Svalbard bears over a period of six years. Their results were published on 26 February in The Journal of Wildlife Management.
After fitting the females with collars, the scientists were able to pinpoint the location of their dens before placing battery-powered cameras near them.
The thousands of images collected allowed a better study of the bears’ behaviour around their dens, revealing a diversity of behaviour that surprised the researchers. Some bear families emerged from their dens and spent only a few days in the area before leaving for good. Other families stayed for a month, while others moved to a new den.
Another finding was that the families observed left their dens around 9 March. This is a week earlier than previous observations in the Svalbard region. If this trend is confirmed, it may be a sign that global warming is causing the bears to emerge earlier.
In any case, the study highlights the need to monitor and protect the areas where the bears den. This is crucial for the cubs as they gradually acclimatise to the Arctic environment. M.B.
U.S. Antarctic research faces challenges due to DOGE budget cuts
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has implemented significant budget cuts and layoffs across various U.S. federal agencies, including those overseeing Antarctic research, according to a report by WIRED. The National Science Foundation (NSF), which manages the United States Antarctic Program (USAP), has seen the termination of several program managers critical to the operation of its three permanent Antarctic stations.
These stations conduct essential research on climate change, sea-level rise, and cosmic phenomena. The loss of key personnel has led to uncertainty regarding the continuation of scientific projects and the maintenance of these remote facilities.
The staffing reductions have already disrupted daily operations at the U.S.-run Antarctic stations McMurdo, Palmer, and Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Researchers express concern that even brief interruptions could cause long-term setbacks, potentially taking decades to recover. The absence of experienced program managers hampers effective communication between scientists and logistical teams, jeopardizing the planning and execution of research missions.
Beyond the immediate scientific challenges, the DOGE cuts are also threatening international cooperation in Antarctica. Many joint research projects depend on U.S. infrastructure and personnel, and with staff reductions and possible temporary station closures, other nations may also struggle to continue their work. Additionally, as U.S. research programs scale down, American scientists may seek opportunities with European, Canadian, Chinese, or Russian Antarctic programs, leading to a potential brain drain.
Moreover, the Antarctic Treaty System, which governs international activities on the continent, relies on strong scientific leadership from major players like the U.S. A weakened American presence could open the door for other nations to expand their influence, particularly China and Russia, which have been investing heavily in new Antarctic research stations and infrastructure. If the logistical backbone of U.S. Antarctic operations weakens, allied nations may need to seek alternative partnerships, possibly strengthening geopolitical ties between non-Western research programs.
If DOGE’s budget cuts move forward, the long-term consequences could go beyond scientific setbacks, potentially shifting power dynamics in Antarctica, weakening environmental oversight, and reshaping global scientific leadership in the polar regions. J.H.
Threatened killer whales now stay in the Arctic all year
Climate change is transforming the Arctic at a rapid rate; much faster than on the rest of the planet. Ecosystems are already changing rapidly, and many native species are threatened by extinction.
But, as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining, and in this case a beneficiary of the warming Arctic waters are orcas, also known as killer whales. A recent study by the University of Manitoba, thus, observed that two genetically distinct populations of orcas now live permanently in the Arctic, as opposed to just during summer as before.
According to the study, both of the populations appear to have declined in size recently and may have found refuge in the now more inhabitable waters of the eastern Canadian Arctic.
While this new migration pattern may benefit the orcas themselves, the study notes that the introduction of a new apex predator is a danger to existing food webs; food webs that ultimately help feed the local Inuit population. O.E.
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