Australia has confirmed its first case of the highly pathogenic H5 bird flu strain, ending its status as the last continent free from the virus that has devastated poultry farms and wildlife populations across the globe.
Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Beth Cookson Collins, announced the development, describing it as disappointing but not unexpected given the rapid international spread of the disease.
“Whilst disappointing, this is not unexpected, given the global spread of the H5 bird flu,” Collins said.
She noted that authorities had not detected any mass bird deaths or infections in commercial poultry flocks, adding that emergency meetings involving agriculture and animal health officials had been convened to coordinate a national response.
“We all knew we couldn’t be bird flu-free forever,” she said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government had been preparing for the possibility of the virus reaching the country through migratory birds.
“This is something that has happened through migratory birds, and has happened by definition around the world, and this is why we are preparing for this,” Albanese said.
The H5 strain has caused significant outbreaks worldwide, affecting poultry, wild birds and a range of mammal species.
Among the most vulnerable bird populations are waterfowl, seabirds, shorebirds and birds of prey. Infections have also been reported in marine mammals, cats, goats, alpacas and pigs.
Conservation experts have warned that the virus could pose a major threat to Australia’s unique biodiversity, with nearly half of the country’s bird species and more than 80 per cent of its mammals found nowhere else on Earth.
Australia’s Threatened Species Commissioner, Fiona Fraser, said authorities had developed protection plans for 35 vulnerable species, including expanded captive breeding programmes.
“There could clearly be population-level impacts for our species,” Fraser warned.
Species considered particularly vulnerable include the Tasmanian devil, black swan, little penguin and Australian sea lion.
The confirmed case was detected in a remote wilderness area approximately 630 kilometres southeast of Perth. Authorities are investigating whether the virus was introduced by birds migrating from sub-Antarctic regions.
The announcement comes days after Australian researchers reported that the H5 virus had killed more than 13,000 elephant seal pups on the remote Heard and McDonald Islands in the sub-Antarctic, underscoring the growing impact of the disease on wildlife populations.
Health and agriculture authorities said surveillance and monitoring efforts have been intensified to prevent further spread and protect both wildlife and the poultry industry.
