It’s already heartbreaking. Every day, we’ve watched the number of birds infected with the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus rapidly climb. On July 24, two sick birds were found in Western Australia. Today, the virus has infected more than 100 wild sea birds in five states, with more being tested.
Experts like our author Jane Younger are urging the government to rapidly start vaccinating endangered birds most likely to die from the virus. And she urges the government to quickly develop a strategy for seals and sea lions, rather than waiting until thousands are dead. “It’s time to act before catastrophe,” Younger says.
Australia has purchased a vaccine and pilot vaccinations are underway. But the government has not revealed which threatened species will receive wider vaccination, where, or when.
Bird flu could be an existential threat for species already near the edge. But the virus won’t hit species equally – some can fight it while others won’t be able to. As genomics experts Kathryn Belov and Carolyn Hogg write, Australia urgently needs to chart the immune risks for our many threatened species so authorities can focus on those most at risk.
