Mainland Australia’s first suspected case of deadly H5N1 investigated after seabird tests positive for bird flu | Western Australia

A migratory seabird found in southern Western Australia has tested positive for bird flu and further testing is being carried out to confirm whether this is Australia’s first mainland case of the deadly H5N1 strain.

The brown skua, a subantarctic species, was found in Cape Le Grand national park on Sunday and has since died, the WA government said on Friday.

A second bird, a giant bird, was sick and was being tested.

Experts in Australia fear the virus could wipe out native bird species and potentially threaten marine mammals and other species. Australia is the only continent to have escaped the devastating species that has already killed hundreds of millions of birds.

Governments have been preparing for the potential arrival of the virus since it began spreading across Europe in 2021.

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said initial tests at a laboratory in Western Australia showed a “suspicious positive result for bird flu”.

Samples have been sent to CSIRO’s Australian Center for Disease Preparedness for confirmation and results are expected on Saturday.

Collins met with state and territory agencies and industry experts on Friday, with further briefings planned for Saturday.

“There is currently no evidence of any mass mortality. There is also no evidence of infection in poultry,” he said.

“If H5 bird flu is confirmed, this will be concerning but not unexpected given the global spread.”

“Since it is currently the only continent that is free of H5 bird flu, we expected that we would definitely not be free of H5.”

People are advised not to touch sick or dead birds or other animals, and if they see any, call the emergency animal disease helpline (1800 675 888) or birdflu.gov.au.

Western Australian Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said the brown skua was found unwell on Cape Le Grand beach on June 14 and subsequently died. “Appropriate precautions were taken, including isolating the bird, and samples were collected for testing.”

He said the second bird, the sick giant bird, was also found in the same area. “This has also been tested and we are awaiting the results.”

“In recent years, H5 avian influenza has spread rapidly around the world, causing severe disease and high mortality rates in poultry, wild birds and affected mammals,” Jarvis said.

“If this is a confirmed H5 bird attack, there will be a rapid and coordinated national response.”

The news comes days after scientists confirmed that thousands of southern elephant seal pups on Heard Island and hundreds of adult king penguins in the subantarctic could die from the disease by 2025 and 2026.

Policy director of the Invasive Species Council, Dr. Carol Booth said test results were needed to confirm whether it was the deadly H5N1 strain, but “the detection is extremely worrying given the devastating effects the virus is having on wildlife around the world.”

“We hope this is not our worst dreams come true. The recently reported mass seal deaths on Heard Island heralded a potential disaster for Australian wildlife should the virus reach mainland Australia.”

“If H5N1 is confirmed, the government’s own risk assessment predicts potentially devastating effects on native birds, while the increased ability of the virus to infect mammals raises the possibility of serious impacts on marine mammals and other wildlife.”

Booth said it was “a good thing” that Australian governments had spent the last two years preparing for the arrival of the deadly variant, but detection on the mainland would be “a critical test of Australia’s preparedness and response systems”.

“Even if this is a false alarm, it warns against any complacency. Australia needs to be ready with clear response plans at all times. It also highlights the urgency of reducing other threats to potentially sensitive wildlife,” he said.

Birdlife Australia chief executive Kate Millar said the development was “extremely concerning”.

Millar said the organization’s scientists and grassroots members are working with governments to increase monitoring of suspected cases and educate people on how to report and respond appropriately.

He said Birdlife also helped model possible entry points of the deadly H5N1 strain and how it might spread. This included the risk of the disease spreading from entry points on sub-Antarctic islands or northern Australia from migrating birds from Asia.

He called on the government to “ensure that the expertise of an organization like BirdLife Australia is part of the discussions around this suspicious case in Western Australia.”

Millar said the organization was “very concerned” about the effects of the deadly strain, which has caused mass deaths of southern elephant seal pups on Heard Island, about 4,000 kilometers southwest of Perth.

During scientific expeditions to the island in 2025 and 2026, it was observed that hundreds of adult king penguins died.

“We have seen significant numbers of fatalities, and the consequences are particularly catastrophic when it affects threatened species.”