The ecological disaster threatening Australian seabirds
Thousands of seabirds washed up on Australia’s shoreline during the summer of 2023/24.
Theories differed about what triggered the disaster, although a number of wildlife groups cited poor weather as the most likely reason.
But marine scientist Jennifer Lavers, who specialises in seabird populations as part of her work with research group Adrift Lab, is about to publish a paper claiming a marine heatwave caused the birds to starve to death.
She warns history may repeat too, especially in the event that a future heatwave happens to coincide with an outbreak of a highly contagious strain of bird flu.