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🇦🇺 Australia /Health & Science

Experts warn H5N1 bird flu spread to the Northern Territory 'inevitable'

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Veterinary authorities deem the spread of H5N1 bird flu to Australia's Northern Territory 'inevitable'.
  • The virus, first detected in Western Australia in late June, has since spread to all six states.
  • Bird owners and conservationists express anxiety over potential impacts on native and domestic bird populations.

Veterinary authorities have stated that the spread of H5N1 bird flu to Australia's Northern Territory is 'inevitable,' nearly two months after the virus was first identified in the country. The highly pathogenic avian influenza has now been detected in all six Australian states, prompting vaccination programs for birds in some regions.

It's definitely going to happen.

— Tony GriffithsDescribing the inevitable spread of H5N1 bird flu to the Northern Territory.

Tony Griffiths, Senior Director of Species Management at the NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment, described the situation as a 'national event' and the 'biggest national disease event that has ever occurred in Australia for wildlife.' He indicated that the virus's arrival in the territory could be a matter of weeks or months away.

It could be weeks, it could be months, but it's a national event, it's the biggest national disease event that has ever occurred in Australia for wildlife.

— Tony GriffithsHighlighting the scale and national impact of the bird flu outbreak.

The looming threat has caused significant anxiety for bird owners, such as Darwin local 'Datto,' who fears for his galah, Buddy, and the wider bird population. With 450 bird species in the Northern Territory, including 37 threatened species, the potential for widespread loss is a serious concern. 'It's going to take away a lot of privileges of me taking [Buddy] where the other birds are, and we're going to lose a lot of good birds over it,' Datto said.

It's going to take away a lot of privileges of me taking [Buddy] where the other birds are, and we're going to lose a lot of good birds over it.

— DattoExpressing anxiety about the impact of bird flu on his pet galah and other birds.

Chief Veterinary Officer Sue Fitzpatrick urged vigilance from backyard poultry farmers and other bird owners, emphasizing the need to protect domestic birds from wild ones. Measures include enclosing bird runs and protecting feed and water sources. While large-scale surveying is planned, vaccination of native species is not considered feasible due to their dispersed populations and the difficulty in capturing them for inoculation.

While we don't have a commercial poultry industry, we certainly have many backyard poultry owners.

— Sue FitzpatrickAddressing the risk to domestic birds and the importance of backyard poultry owners' vigilance.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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