Challenge for native bird colony amid flu outbreak
The H5 bird flu strain is spreading across Australia, with new cases confirmed in South Australia among wild seabirds. Volunteers and officials are concerned about the impact on local bird colonies and the potential for further transmission across the country.
Why it matters
The outbreak poses a significant threat to biodiversity and wildlife conservation efforts in Australia.
The H5 strain of bird flu continues to spread across Australia, threatening wildlife. (Jay Kogler/AAP PHOTOS) Volunteers have grave fears over the future of a local colony of native birds as the H5 flu strain continues spreading across South Australia and other parts of the country.
Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed a further 28 positive detections in SA among wild seabirds on Saturday.
Among them were 26 greater crested terns, 15 on the state's Limestone Coast and 11 on Kangaroo Island, Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson said.
Two silver gull cases were also detected on the Limestone Coast, at Port MacDonnell and Robe.
Australian Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson has confirmed more than two dozen new H5 cases. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS) SA chief vet Skye Fruean said there was no particular reason why the state had so far encountered most of Australia's 203 confirmed cases.
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