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🇦🇺 Australia /Disasters & Emergencies

WA wildlife carers demand resources amid H5 bird flu crisis

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Volunteer wildlife carers in Western Australia are calling for adequate government resourcing amid the H5 bird flu outbreak.
  • They report a lack of essential protective equipment and funding, putting both carers and animals at risk.
  • The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions stated PPE is currently limited to surveillance sampling, while carers demand wider distribution and financial support.

Volunteer wildlife carers in Western Australia are voicing strong criticism, stating the state government has failed to adequately support their response to the deadly H5 bird flu outbreak. They report a critical shortage of protective clothing and insufficient funding, which they argue places both themselves and the affected animals in significant danger.

We need to set up external facilities, we need to have quarantine, we need to have PPE, we need to be adequately resourced.

— Rachel OlsenRachel Olsen, a volunteer with WA Seabird Rescue, outlined the critical needs for managing bird flu in wild birds.

Currently, eight confirmed cases of avian influenza exist in Australia, with the first identified in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. On Wednesday, two new suspected H5 cases were reported in dead petrels found in the Perth metropolitan area and north of Geraldton. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions indicated that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is presently being supplied only to wildlife carers involved in surveillance sampling or carcass collection.

However, wildlife groups are pressing for broader distribution of protective gear. WA Seabird Rescue volunteer Rachel Olsen emphasized the necessity of government resources for managing bird flu in wild populations. "We need to set up external facilities, we need to have quarantine, we need to have PPE, we need to be adequately resourced," she stated. Olsen highlighted that rehabilitation hospitals are entirely donation-funded, and called for government support if the state plans to rely on volunteer infrastructure.

All of our wildlife rehabilitation hospitals in Western Australia are completely funded through donations and fundraising, and there is no government funding for any of them.

— Rachel OlsenRachel Olsen explained the funding model for wildlife rehabilitation hospitals and the lack of government financial support.

Carers have outlined essential PPE, including N95 or P2 masks, rubber and PVC gloves, water-resistant gowns, boot covers, hair covers, and goggles or face shields. Olsen expressed disappointment over a significant breakdown in communication between agencies and uncertainty about accessing necessary resources. Many private veterinary clinics in the South West have stopped treating wild birds brought in by the public and volunteers, further complicating the situation.

There's been a really big breakdown in communication between agencies.

— Rachel OlsenRachel Olsen described the communication issues between different agencies involved in the bird flu response.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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