The government and advocacy groups have been preparing for the spread of the H5N1 bird flu strain to Australia for years. Photo: Invasive Species Council.
The highly pathogenic and deadly H5N1 avian influenza has arrived on Australian shores, now confirmed in two migratory birds in Western Australia.
It’s not an outbreak yet, but the message seems to be that it’s only a matter of time before it spreads across the continent to the eastern seaboard.
Commonwealth, state and territory environment ministers met late yesterday (22 June) following the recent discovery of the virus in a brown skua and giant petrel in an isolated area of southern WA, about 700 km from Perth.
There’s no evidence of mass mortalities.
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said preparations for the virus reaching our shores had been underway for years.
“As a government, we’ve invested $113 million, including $11 million in the most recent budget, in those preparedness efforts,” he said.
“I feel confident that we’ve got the systems in place and that we’re working cooperatively with states, territories and others to make sure that we can manage this outbreak if it does get more serious.
“Efforts are underway by environment agencies and conservation partners across the country to boost the resilience of native species most at-risk from H5 bird flu. These efforts are now more important than ever.
“Of course, we don’t want to see the outbreak get any wider, but if it does occur, we do have those systems and preparedness plans in place to manage this.”
This included a 2023 risk assessment of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), which determined that the risk of exposure and establishment of the virus in native wild birds was moderate to high, and the impact would be catastrophic.
Elephant seal mass casualty event on Heard Island. Photo: Julie McInnes.
The Australian Antarctic Program released a study on 17 June confirming thousands of wildlife deaths following the detection of avian influenza on Heard Island and McDonald Islands.
“Drone surveys revealed mass mortality in southern elephant seals, with 8573 pups (62 per cent) recorded dead across Heard Island by the final surveys,” it stated.
“Based on the average (76 per cent) mortality in the final surveys, total estimated pup mortality at Heard Island was 13,359 (from a total population of 17,364 pups), though this may be an underestimate as mortality was ongoing at this time.
“HPAI was detected in six of nine species tested and, we suspect, led to elevated mortality in king and gentoo penguins.”
The H5N1 bird flu strain has been confirmed in a migratory brown skua (species pictured) found in southern WA. Photo: Andrew Silcocks/BirdLife Australia.
But will all the work to date be enough?
BirdLife Australia CEO Kate Millar said it was too soon to know if preparedness efforts have been successful.
“We all knew this day was coming, and our preparedness as a country will now be tested. I’m concerned that many jurisdictions at the local level simply don’t yet have plans in place to respond to H5 bird flu,” she said.
“The potential for this virus to kill wildlife in significant numbers means it could be particularly catastrophic for threatened species. We are talking about possible extinctions, alongside severe impacts to common birds like our beloved pelicans and black swans.”
The Invasive Species Council has argued that at least $200 million will be needed over the next two years to strengthen wildlife resilience in the face of the positive detections of H5N1.
Policy director Dr Carol Booth described the virus’s arrival as “a new and uncertain chapter” for Australian wildlife.
“We are pleased to see the serious and rapid government response to this detection. The preparation, planning and coordination over the past two years mean Australia is in a strong position to respond,” she said.
“The concern now is that this detection makes one thing absolutely clear: bird flu is coming for Australian wildlife. Whether this particular outbreak is contained or not, the threat is no longer theoretical.
“The best thing we can do now is strengthen the resilience of native species before large-scale outbreaks occur. That means ramping up efforts to tackle invasive species, restore habitat, reduce predation pressure and support wildlife recovery programs.”
Anyone who encounters sick or dead wildlife should avoid touching the animal, record it with a phone and report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. More information can be found at Agriculture.
Original Article published by Claire Fenwicke on Region Canberra.
