By Oluwakemi Kindness
The highly contagious H5 bird flu virus has begun spreading locally among wild birds in Australia, raising concerns about wider infections among vulnerable wildlife.
Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Beth Cookson, said the development could lead to broader transmission among wild bird populations.
She said that once the virus becomes widespread in wild birds, losses among susceptible wildlife may be difficult to prevent.
Australia had remained free of the H5 strain for years and was the only continental landmass without the virus, which has caused widespread illness and deaths among poultry and wild birds globally.
The country recorded its first H5 case in a migratory seabird in June. Scientists had warned that the virus could eventually spread to local bird populations.
Recent testing confirmed local transmission among greater crested terns along the coast of South Australia.
Cookson said the development was concerning but not unexpected because the birds share the same coastal habitat.
Australia’s Agriculture Minister, Julie Collins, said there was no evidence of mass bird deaths and that the risk to human health remained low.
She added that the country’s poultry industry had not been affected.
The national science laboratory confirmed seven new cases among greater crested terns in South Australia, bringing Australia’s total number of positive H5 detections to 27.
The virus is known to affect waterfowl, shorebirds, seabirds and birds of prey. It has also been detected in marine mammals and other animals, including cats, goats, alpacas and pigs.
Meanwhile, four suspected bird flu cases were reported on Kangaroo Island, a major tourist destination and home to a significant population of endangered sea lions.
Authorities have suspended beach tours in parts of the island to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to the animals.
Scientists have warned that the outbreak could increase extinction risks for Australia’s unique wildlife.
Nearly half of Australia’s wild bird species and 83 per cent of its mammals are found nowhere else in the world.
The H5 strain was linked to the deaths of more than 13,000 elephant seal pups at a breeding colony on the remote Heard and McDonald Islands in June.
