Newly arrived bird flu could wipe out NZ's endangered species, expert warns
New Zealand's chief veterinary officer warns that the H5N1 bird flu strain, recently detected in a seabird, will likely become endemic in the country. Experts fear the virus could threaten the survival of endangered native species.
Why it matters
The arrival of a highly pathogenic virus in an isolated ecosystem poses a significant threat to biodiversity and requires urgent biosecurity and conservation responses.
The newly arrived strain of H5N1 bird flu is likely to become endemic in New Zealand and could happen within a matter of months, MPI's chief veterinary officer says.
The report relies on expert testimony and government statements regarding a public health and environmental issue.
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