Chile has ruled out bird flu in at least 3,500 seabirds found dead since May 26, throughout the Coquimbo region, in the north of the country. Now authorities are focusing on investigating the cause of these animals’ deaths.

The dead birds match specimens of guanay cormorants, with black backs and white belliessimilar to penguins, according to estimates from the Livestock Agricultural Service (SAG) of Coquimbo.

This Friday, the results of the tests to which the birds were submitted were known, which initially ruled out bird flu, informed the AFP the director of the agency in Coquimbo, Jorge Mautz. The result “is reliable”said the official.

The death of these birds surprised the inhabitants of the place. “It had never been seen before. The mortality rate of these little birds is impressive”he said to the AFP Edison Alfaro, a 47-year-old fisherman who has always lived in this region.

Mautz considered that “Something Happens in the Sea” that causes the death of these birds that dive into the oceans in search of food.

This mass death comes during a strong outbreak of bird flu that has been plaguing the Chilean coast since December 2022, a disease with no cure that has killed thousands of animals, including penguins, pelicans and sea lions.

Chile estimates that about 10% of the 10,000 Humboldt penguins, a vulnerable species, died. In addition, 9,000 sea lions have died, double the number of all recorded cases in the past 14 years.