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7h ago

Australia Confirms H5 Bird Flu in Elephant Seals on Remote Heard Island

Officials say the sub-Antarctic detection does not raise mainland risk, reinforcing preparedness efforts.

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Southern elephant seal pup
Detection underscores the need to prepare for a possible outbreak on the mainland, the government says.

Overview

  • Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins confirmed H5 in samples from southern elephant seals collected after researchers reported unusual deaths on Heard Island.
  • The island sits more than 4,000 kilometres southwest of Perth within Australia’s external territory in the Southern Ocean.
  • Authorities report no unusual mortality in penguins or other seabirds on the island at this stage.
  • A second research voyage scheduled to arrive in late December will gather further wildlife health data through the summer.
  • The government says Australia remains free of H5 and has invested over $100 million in surveillance and rapid-response capacity as the virus circulates on nearby French sub-Antarctic islands.