This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: When news broke over the weekend that Australia's first mainland case of bird flu in a mammal—the death of a long-nosed fur seal—had been detected, I felt deep sadness and dread for what's likely to come next. We should expect large-scale deaths of mammals, in addition to birds.
The deadly strain of H5N1 bird flu has been spreading across Australia and devastating wildlife. So infection in a mammal was tragically just a matter of time. This news comes after more than 1,000 crested terns and more than two dozen little penguins recently died in South Australia and Tasmania, respectively.
Australia's federal, state and territory governments claim they're well prepared to manage this environmental and conservation crisis. There's much that needs to be urgently improved. Stopping the spread of bird flu is impossible, but we can still reduce the severity of its impacts on wildlife and the environment.
There is extensive information on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's bird flu page. However, government websites are not where people typically get their information. Before bird flu arrived in mainland Australia in June, there should have been a national public awareness campaign across traditional and social media platforms, and even via letters from local councils.
Some people are clearly unsure about which activities are safe, such as bird feeding, and how to best protect themselves and their pets. They need clearer information on dealing with sick and dying animals, who is responsible and what help is available. These issues are causing angst among wildlife caregivers, veterinarians and local communities, with some councils calling for more funding as they face cleaning up large numbers of dead, infected birds.
In Portland, southwestern Victoria, locals have been collecting and disposing of dead birds themselves. They hope to minimize the spread of H5N1 to other wildlife, including much-loved local animals such as Sammy the seal. Well-resourced specialist task forces, like the one in Scotland, would be a better and safer way to ensure suffering animals are humanely euthanized and their bodies are collected within hours, not days.
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