‘Uncertain chapter’: Deadly bird flu detected in migratory bird on Western Australia’s southern coast

The first strain of the deadly H5 bird flu has hit Australian shores, with the virus confirmed in a bird on Western Australia’s southern coast.

A Subantarctic Skua was rescued from a beach and taken to the Esperance Wildlife Hospital and Sanctuary, showing signs of bird flu, the West reported.

A sick southern giant petrel found in Esperance has also been confirmed positive for H5 avian influenza by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Diagnostic Laboratory Services.

Further testing will be undertaken by the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness to determine if it is the same strain found on Heard Island.

Clinic director Lori-Ann Shibish told the West the Subantarctic Skua was immediately put into a quarantine Humidicrib and could tell it was in a pretty bad way.

“Our protocol is to immediately call the emergency hotline for disease and report the incident and they were able to call us back almost immediately with a vet who talked us through the situation and they arranged to have a test done on the bird to see if it was a carrier of avian influenza,” she said.

The highly pathogenic H5 bird flu was found in several wildlife species on a sub-Antarctic Australian territory which prompted warnings from authorities that Australia must prepare for potential outbreaks.

Avian influenza primarily affect birds but can infect mammals too, posing a threat to livestock industries.

In February, the disease was found in animals living on Heard Island, an extremely remote territory located more than 4000km southwest of Perth and 1700km north of Antarctica.

It comes after a November detection of the disease in southern elephant seals.

Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson said in other parts of the globe where the virus had been circulating for a number of years native populations still experienced its impact.

“We’re taking every action now to make sure that those are appropriately investigated and putting the call out to the community to help identify whether or not there are other sick animals,” she said.

“It’s almost inevitable, let’s say, that there will be spread in wild populations of birds and mammals.”

Australia’s Threatened Species Commissioner Fiona Fraser said there was a high chance the virus could become more widespread quite quickly.

She said marine mammals were susceptible to the disease, particularly fur seals and the endangered Australian sea lion and species-specific plans were in place to keep ahead of the disease.

“There are many species of marine bird and water birds, which will be impacted,” Dr Fraser said.

“Western Australia is undertaking or preparing species-specific plans for species such as the black swan and the little penguin, and … and the blueberry duck in that area.”

The Commissioner said there were specific plans for critically endangered animals and plans that related to Ramsar wetlands where annual assemblages of different bird species that come and go over seasons.

Dr Fraser said it was very serious situation and based on overseas experiences there could be impacts on native species population levels over time.

“Many of Australia’s species are not just pressured by the potential of bird flu, they have many other pressures that they are facing at the moment, so it’s the accumulation of these threats, which really have population of species,” she said.

“Wildlife protections that are outside the specific measures for controlling birds, or dealing with birds, like habitat restoration and so on, but the federal budget cut over $100m lapsed programs that weren’t restarted, federal animal control, pest control weeds.

“That sort of action would be a benefit to recovering populations of wildlife.”

She said the Federal Government allocated $11m in the budget for bird flu and preventive measures and another $99m was allocated to the Saving Native Species Program over two years to focus on species that may be impacted by bird flu across the nation.

“If bird flu establishes in Australia, it will not be everywhere all at once, and there’ll be parts of the country that it probably never, never reaches,” she said.

“It depends again on which populations are impacted, because there’s so much unknown about how this, how this could spread and establish in Australia.”

The Invasive Species Council urged the Government to invest at least $200m to strengthen wildlife resilience over the next two years after the first H5 detection was found a wild migratory bird in Western Australia.

Invasive Species Council Policy Director Dr Carol Booth said Australia has watched as the virus spread across continents, killing millions of wild birds and tens of thousands of mammals.

“The virus’ arrival on mainland Australia means we are entering a new and uncertain chapter for Australian wildlife,” she said.

‘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.

“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.”

Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said there have been no detections in poultry, and there was no evidence of mass mortality.

Ms Jarvis said Australia was well prepared to respond quickly to h5 bird flu to protect poultry production and reduce the impact on wildlife and communities.

Ms Jarvis outlined Western Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Food Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) was leading the state response in collaboration with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and the WA Department of Health.

She said while this was still an isolated incident people should prepare that other birds and marine mammals may be affected and were part of the increased surveillance effort.

“Increased surveillance for H5 bird flu has commenced, together with engagement with the poultry industry, veterinarians, and wildlife care,” she said.

“The community can assist by reporting any dead or sick birds or marine mammals to the emergency animal disease hotline.

“People should also take steps to keep their pets away from wildlife, including preventing cats from roaming and keeping dogs on leaves in wildlife areas.”