Beaches become mass graves as bird flu decimates Pelicans in Peru

An estimated 13% of Peru’s pelican population has been killed

A pelican struggles to lift its head. The virus affects the birds’ immune systems (@karivit/Twitter)

A new bird flu variant has killed nearly 17,000 pelicans has turned beaches in Peru into mass graves.

The outbreak has led to the temporary closure of beaches to locals and tourists as health and agricultural workers disinfect and bury the birds – an estimated 13% of the country’s entire population.

The H5N1 variant attacks the nervous system and causes infected birds to lose coordination, prevents them from flying, causes them to swim in circles, and become oblivious to their surroundings.