What is the deadly disease threatening New Zealand's weirdest bird?

Thursday, 13 June 2019

A common respiratory disease attributed to mould is threatening one of New Zealand's endangered bird species. But what exactly is it? Brittney Deguara reports.

They're weird and they're in trouble.

There are fewer than 200 kākāpō in New Zealand, and a fifth of them are being threatened by an outbreak of an 'unpredictable disease'.

Aspergillosis, a respiratory fungal disease that can also affect humans, is proving fatal for the endangered species.

Seven kākāpō have already died from severe cases of the disease since April, and 11 in care at Auckland Zoo have been diagnosed.

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'Their future hangs in the balance and they could all die,' Dr James Chatterton, the manager of veterinrary services at Auckland Zoo said.

The disease is 'yet another hurdle' for the species to overcome.

But what is this disease threatening their existence and why is it so dangerous?

WHAT IS ASPERGILLUS?

Aspergillus is a mould or fungus, and aspergillosis is the disease that can affect both humans and animals, and is especially common in birds.

Not a transmitted disease, aspergillosis is transferred through spores that are ingested through breathing.

DOC operations manager Deidre Vercoe said: 'Aspergillus spores are common in the environment and typically only cause disease if individuals have reduced immunity and/or there is an increased concentration of spores in the environment.'

For humans to fall ill with the disease, Chatterton explained you would have to be living in a mouldy house breathing in huge amounts of spores, or have your immunity affected by a virus.

It's not just a disease threatening kākāpō, some of New Zealand's iconic species- brown kiwi and hihi - are also susceptible to the disease that can turn fatal if not caught early enough.

DOC operations manager Deidre Vercoe explained: 'Aspergillosis is a fungal infection that is difficult to diagnose early, difficult to treat and often fatal.'

Vercoe said the disease is 'notoriously difficult to treat in birds'.

'[Aspergillosis] is a primary concern for those on frontline working with this taonga species.'

But identifying the disease is a challenge.

'Aspergillosis is a fungal infection that is difficult to diagnose early, difficult to treat and often fatal,' according to Vercoe.

Unfortunately, once diagnosed, the road to recovery isn't quick.

Kākāpō chick Nora 1A died on Tuesday at Auckland Zoo during surgery to treat her aspergillosis.

Chatterton described it as a 'very long, slow, drawn-out process'.

'What we'd love to know now is which birds are going to get better quickly, unfortunately, aspergillosis doesn't work like that.'

WHAT CAUSED THE OUTBREAK?

Before an outbreak was identified, there had only been one recorded aspergillosis-related death in the species.

Chatterton explained, 'this level of disease is really unprecedented, extremely unusual'.

Staff from DOC, Auckland Zoo, Dunedin's The Wildlife Hospital and Massey University's Wildbase are working together with specialists in America and Europe to try and identify the cause.

He said despite the devastating loss of life, kakapo are 'somewhat blessed in that there is a dedicated team looking after them'.

Researchers have identified three possible causes for the outbreak, but aren't expected to have a final answer until later in the year.

'The current hypothesis on the cause of this outbreak is that there is a significant spore loading in nests on Whenua Hou this season, coupled with possible nest stress, leading to infection,' Vercoe said.

Chatterton added there is the possibility of an 'underlying viral infection' affecting the birds, an increase in spores due to warmer temperatures, or a 'combination of those things'.

'It's a really complicated set of possibilities to find out the exact cause,' he said.

Researchers are analysing nest samples to measure the amount of aspergillus in the nest and are looking for potential links between nests affected.

HOW IS IT BEING MANAGED?

DOC's Kākāpō Recovery team is determined to help treat those threatened by the disease. But management of the outbreak is a 'new work strand and one which has had significant prominence this season,' according to Vercoe.

The outbreak is currently affecting many of the birds inhabiting Whenua hou, which means transport to the mainland is required to seek treatment.

DOC flies the birds to one of three vet hospitals on the mainland - Auckland Zoo's Conservation Medicine, Massey University's Wildbase, and The Wildlife Hospital in Dunedin - for CT scans, medication and if required, surgery.

Kākāpō are housed in purpose-built, temperature-controlled rooms and are given medication twice a day. It could be several months before the treated birds are released back into the wild.

Chatterton explained data collected over the last 20 years helps identify any birds that may be affected.

If the birds monitored are showing an abnormal growth rate, it might indicate that there's something wrong with the chick or its mother. A CT scan and in some cases an endoscopy are required to formally diagnose the disease.

He said the entire operation is an 'enormous job and an enormous responsibility' but this is what the vets and vet nurses train for.

'We want to try and help and it's a real responsibility but I look at that in a positive way - if we save one bird, that makes a valuable contribution to the species as a whole.

Seven kākāpō have already died from the severe cases of the disease since April, and 11 in care at Auckland Zoo have been diagnosed.

'If we weren't involved… they would all be dead.'

OVERSEAS DONATIONS INCREASES AID

DOC is pleading for New Zealanders to donate to the kakapo aspergillosis fund to manage the outbreak the research the cause to reduce future impacts.

Over $150,000 has already been donated, with international donors accounting for 60 per cent of the donations received.

'Kākāpō have a large support base across New Zealand and all around the world and we had many people based here and overseas wanting to help in some way,' Vercoe said.

'We have been incredibly humbled by the support and amount people have contributed to date.'

Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage expects 'adequate funding' to be provided to the recovery programme.

'DOC is expected to commit over $2 million towards kakapo recovery this year including additional funding dedicated towards the aspergillosis outbreak.'