An unprecedented avian flu outbreak in Argentine Patagonia devastated a stable elephant seal colony, highlighting the rising threat of infectious disease to wildlife in a warming world. Elephant Seals -- Ecohotel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Claudio Campagna, Valeria Falabella and Julieta Campagna In the spring of 2023, we returned to Península Valdés, a rugged coastal region in Argentine Patagonia, expecting to witness the familiar sights and sounds of southern el