Source : Perth Now news
Experts are ringing alarm bells over Australia’s preparedness for the potential spread of avian flu after the highly contagious H5 bird flu strain – one of the deadliest in history – was found in a sickly-looking bird in Western Australia.
The strain has been kept out of mainland Australia and New Zealand until now, and is linked to the recent deaths of thousands of seal pups in Antarctica and millions of birds across the globe.
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast on Sunday morning, Birdlife Australia chief executive Kate Millar said the discovery of the H5 strain in a Brown Skua bird in southwestern WA on Saturday was “incredibly concerning”.
“We all knew this day was coming, and our preparedness as a country will now be tested,” Ms Millar said.
“I’m concerned that many jurisdictions at the local level simply don’t yet have plans to respond to H5 bird flu.
“We can’t overstate how significant this moment is for Australian wildlife.
“This virus has devastated wildlife populations overseas – this could be the beginning of a long fight to protect birds and wildlife in Australia.”
Until now, Australia and New Zealand have been the only two countries in the world to not be affected by the strain.
Now that a suspected second case has been recorded in a Giant Petrel bird found close to where the Skua had been, Ms Millar is calling for an increase in funding, saying $11.2m for at-risk species is “simply not sufficient” now that the strain had reached Australia.
“Birdlife Australia is calling for a rapid and significant increase in investment to deliver the conservation programs needed and to ensure on-ground preparedness plans are in place,” she said.
“Australian wildlife and birds are going to need all the help they can get.”
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has backed the calls for urgent funding upgrades, warning Australians they could be “staring down one of the biggest domestic crises since Covid”.
“The government must urgently boost funding to help save our Australian native wildlife from this deadly virus,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“The experience around the world shows that this strain of bird flu will be devastating to Australian wildlife and could push iconic species like Tassie devils, black swans and sea lions to the brink of extinction.
“Protecting Australia’s biodiversity requires more than thoughts and prayers. It requires a well-funded, co-ordinated national response, and it requires it now.”
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 communityto 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.”
