Penguin Island penguins: Perth’s little penguins first wild WA birds to be vaccinated from deadly H5 bird flu

The iconic little penguins of Perth’s Penguin Island will soon receive vaccinations against the deadly H5 bird flu strain as the disease wreaks havoc on the East Coast. From Wednesday, 35 of the vulnerable little penguins will receive their first dose of the vaccine, the first time wild birds will be vaccinated against the disease in WA. A second dose will be administered in about a month’s time. While the colony of little penguins is estimated to be as low as 75 to 125, only a fraction will be vaccinated due to logistical issues. Perth Zoo veterinary services manager Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins said the program was carefully managed to reduce disruption to the penguin’s lives. “Knowing what the population census data is we’re really keen to make sure we can vaccinate as many as possible without causing too much disturbance,” she said.