Australia Ranks 2,000 Native Species for H5 Threat as 5 Birds Face Extinction

3 articles · Updated · ABC News · Aug 5

Five bird species were placed in the federal government's "extreme threat" category, with officials warning they may not survive if H5 bird flu reaches their populations.
More than 2,000 native birds and mammals were scored for vulnerability, susceptibility, habitat and behavior, and hundreds were judged likely to suffer severe population declines.
The highest-risk list includes the critically endangered Herald petrel, while Tasmanian devils, eastern quolls and some dolphins, whales, seals and sea lions were also flagged for major impacts.
Dozens of coastal detections and a first confirmed mass wildlife die-off off South Australia have raised fears the virus will spread inland during the spring breeding season.
Canberra says it has invested A$47 million in threatened-species protection, while vaccine trials continue for captive birds because two-dose vaccination is not considered feasible in wild populations.

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ABC News19d ago

Australian Government Ranks 2,000 Native Species by H5 Bird Flu Threat, Five Face Extinction

The Guardian19d ago

Penguins and dolphins among nearly 400 Australian species under threat from bird flu as 'true extent of disaster' revealed | Bird flu | The Guardian

Facebook19d ago

Nearly 1 in 5 Australian birds and mammals are now considered at high to extreme risk from H5 bird flu. The Australian government has just published a risk assessment that reveals that

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With unique wildlife lacking external recovery sources, could the H5 bird flu trigger an unprecedented mass extinction event in Australia?

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Australia’s H5N1 Crisis: The 2026 Outbreak, Ecological Catastrophe, and the Fight to Save 300 At-Risk Species

Overview

The 2026 arrival of H5N1 in Australia ended the continent’s long-standing virus-free status, following a chain of spread from Antarctica through subantarctic islands, where the virus devastated elephant seal and penguin populations. Highly mobile marine birds carried H5N1 to the mainland, triggering mass deaths among native seabirds and raising fears of the virus moving into inland waterways and freshwater species. Conservation efforts are hampered by chronic underfunding, leaving volunteers as the main responders. Meanwhile, government advice to avoid handling sick wildlife has sparked concern among caregivers, highlighting the immense challenge of managing this ecological crisis.

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