Bad news from the other side of the world
Bad news from the other side of the world: bird flu (avian influenza) has unfortunately also reached the remote regions of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica – the highly contagious virus was first detected on South Georgia back in October. This is particularly sad and poses a dramatic threat to the unique wildlife there.
Unfortunately, this issue also affects our project, as many of the possible landing sites have been completely closed by the administration (GSGSSI). The map shows all landing sites in South Georgia that are normally accessible to visitors and their categorisation and closure according to the GSGSSI biosecurity manual (yellow = open, orange = closed to tourists / reopening possibly possible, red = closed to all until the end of the season).
Map: 20 November 2023, source: GSGSSI / Polarjournal
As things stand, the situation on site has deteriorated further and the number of landing sites still open has been significantly reduced. Even South Georgia’s main port of call, Grytviken, is currently closed (level 2 = orange).
Whether we will be able to realise our plan to sail to South Georgia and explore in the footsteps of Sir Ernest Shackleton as planned, or at all, is unfortunately up in the air at the moment.
Further information can be found here:
https://polarjournal.ch/en/2023/10/24/avian-influenza-reaches-south-georgia/
https://polarjournal.ch/en/2023/11/30/high-mortality-among-young-elephant-seals-on-south-georgia/