Bird flu could be catastrophic for nation's vulnerable species, experts warn

Australia's unique wildlife faces a grim outlook as a deadly strain of bird flu, H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, threatens to spread, potentially causing catastrophic losses among vulnerable species. Experts are particularly concerned about the virus reaching freshwater environments, where ducks can act as significant spreaders.

The warning follows the confirmation of the virus in a migratory seabird found sick on a beach in Western Australia. This strain has already caused millions of deaths in poultry and wild animals globally since late 2021. The virus has been detected in over 400 wild bird species and 40 mammal types, and previously reached Heard Island, an Australian territory, where it killed thousands of seals.

Ecologists highlight that ducks, due to their habits of defecating in water, facilitate easy fecal-oral transmission, making freshwater habitats a high-risk zone. Species such as the black swan, Australian sea lion, and Tasmanian devil are among those at risk. The black swan, in particular, may be vulnerable due to a lack of certain immune genes that combat viral infections found in other water birds.

Fiona Fraser, Threatened Species Commissioner, noted that critically endangered species like the orange-bellied parrot and western ground parrot, with populations estimated between 100 and 200, are also at risk. Vulnerable little penguin colonies and various mammal species are also considered collateral damage. The Western Australian government has stated it has plans to protect species like the black swan, but the potential for widespread devastation remains a significant concern.

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They [ducks] have no toilets, they poo in the water. So faecal-oral transmission is very easy in freshwater.