Australia Confirms First Mass Wildlife Deaths from H5 Bird Flu

The Australian government has confirmed the country’s first mass wildlife deaths linked to the deadly H5 bird flu, with great crested terns found at Baudin Rocks, an island off the southeastern coast of South Australia. The dead and sick birds were detected on Friday during aerial surveillance, and samples collected from the site later tested positive for H5 avian influenza. Australia, which remained the only continent free of the deadly virus until 14 June, has since detected bird flu only in migratory subantarctic seabirds, mostly giant petrels, found on beaches in South Australia, Western Australia, and New South Wales. The country has recorded 74 confirmed cases of the virus so far, including 54 in South Australia, 10 in Western Australia, seven in Victoria, two in New South Wales, and one in Queensland. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the mass die-off had been anticipated. ‘Unfortunately, we know that once H5 bird flu spreads in wildlife and the natural environment, it is impossible to avoid significant losses, as we are now beginning to see,’ Collins said. She added there is no evidence of bird flu in poultry or farming systems and the risk to human health remains low. ‘We have invested and worked very closely with our agricultural sector, particularly the poultry sector, on enhancing and strengthening biosecurity to do everything we can to prevent it entering our farming systems,’ Collins said. ‘But you tend to see the transmission impact around the world with H5.’ Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said Australians can expect the bird flu to continue spreading, with more wildlife affected. ‘The reality is you cannot stop native and wild birds from flying, and you cannot stop wild animals from moving, and that will mean more mass mortality events like the one we have now seen,’ Watt said. He added that this is the beginning of what is likely to be a long and difficult journey in terms of the impact on wildlife. A national management plan for H5 bird flu has been activated, with an additional 24 million Australian dollars in funding from state and federal governments.