The H5 strain of avian influenza has been detected for the first time in Australian seabirds after testing negative on a fur seal found in New South Wales.
The discovery of the virus in local birds represents what the federal government called an “alarming development” because previous confirmed cases involved migratory birds from the sub-Antarctic region.
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said CSIRO laboratory tests confirmed the deadly strain in a great crested tern found at Rob on South Australia’s limestone coast.
There were also two further confirmed cases in South Australia and one in Western Australia, bringing the total number of identified cases to 12.
Julie Collins says further work is underway. (ABC News)
Ms Collins said there was still no evidence of widespread wildlife mortality and no evidence of the disease spreading to agricultural areas.
The minister said South African authorities are “conducting enhanced surveillance in the area where this bird was discovered” and that further investigations are being carried out to determine how the bird contracted the virus.
“Our scientists are carrying out further work to identify the potential route of infection for Australian seabirds,”
she said.
“(They) will try to determine whether this particular tern caught these migratory birds, whether it is the same sequence or not.
“What we do know is that this is a coastal seabird whose coastal range overlaps with migratory seabirds that previously tested positive for H5.
“While this is an alarming development, it is not unexpected and is another sign that our strong biosecurity system is working.”
Confirmed cases of avian influenza
- Brown Skua found in Esperance, WA on 14 June.
- A giant petrel found on the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Africa, June 14.
- A giant petrel found in Esperance, WA on June 18.
- Giant petrel found at Quindalup (Dunsborough), WA, 20 June.
- A giant petrel found in Esperance, WA on June 21.
- Giant petrel found in Mullaloo (Perth), WA, 30 June.
- Giant petrel found at Hawke’s Nest, New South Wales, 1 July.
- A giant petrel found in Hardwick Bay, South Africa, July 3.
- A giant petrel found in Port Vincent, South Africa, July 6.
- A giant petrel found on Kangaroo Island, South Africa, July 6.
- Giant petrel found in Mullaloo (Perth), WA, 8 July.
- Great Crested Tern found in Robe, South Africa, date unknown.
Updated July 10.
Note: Mullaloo’s case is “presumptive positive” due to carcass decomposition.
A Great Crested Tern was discovered a few days ago by a member of the public and reported to the Animal Disease Emergency Hotline.
The bird was sent to CSIRO, where a case of H5 avian influenza was confirmed, the minister said.
She said no other dead birds were found nearby.
Negative test result for fur seal
Later on Friday afternoon, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) said a deceased juvenile fur seal found in Blue Bay on the Central Coast had tested negative for H5N1.
“At this time of year, seals are regularly seen along the NSW coastline and reports of sick or injured juvenile seals are not uncommon,” a DPIRD spokesman said.
It said it continues to work with the federal environment department on “continuous monitoring of wildlife.”
South Australia’s two previous confirmed cases of H5 avian influenza were on Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.
Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) chief veterinary officer Skye Fruan said the latter’s sea lion population was potentially at risk.
“We’ve already done a lot of groundwork to improve the resilience of Australian sea lion populations, including in Seal Bay, so that will remain a focus,” she said.
“Specifically, the risk to these sea lions has not changed much since this discovery. We knew we could find it anywhere along the coast.”
Surveillance works well, says South African vet
Dr Fruan said the spread of infection from migratory birds to native birds was a concern.
“We don’t know for sure how this bird became infected with H5 avian influenza, but we can make some pretty safe guesses based on what we know about the virus,” she said.
Laboratory tests have confirmed a deadly strain in a great crested tern found in Robe, South Africa, the federal government says. (ABC Goldfields and Esperance: Tara de Landgrafft)
“We know that migrating seabirds have been visiting our shores from Antarctic regions, and some have brought H5 avian influenza with them.
“These seabirds, like the great crested tern, actually have the opportunity to come into contact or interact with these migratory birds, either at sea when they are feeding on fish or on the shore.”
She said she’s confident monitoring sick or dead birds “works well.”
“This is a particularly dangerous strain of avian influenza,” Dr. Fruen said.
“It spreads quite easily from bird to bird, but requires fairly close contact, which is very similar to how seasonal flu spreads between people.”
Dr Fruen says the tern may have become ill after contact with migratory birds at sea. (ABC News)
Friends of Shorebirds SE spokeswoman Maureen Christie said great crested terns nest on the islands off Rob and Beachport and can also be seen along the rest of the coastline.
They also ventured to the coastal lakes and the Coorong, she said.
“We’ve been saying for years that it’s not the if, it’s the when, but it’s pretty devastating when it’s actually here,” she said through tears.
She said she was “extremely concerned” that local beaches don’t have any signage about what to do if you spot a sick bird, as was the case in algae blooms and the viral abalone ganglioneuritis outbreak in the southeast in 2024 and 2025.
“We still haven’t done anything on our beaches,” she said.
Rob Mayor Lisa Ruffell said it was important to keep the discovery in perspective.
“I can’t say that: it’s only one bird at the moment,” she said.
“Everyone is worried that the situation will go further.
“(But) we hope that this is just one incident and that it will end there.”
Ecologist and ornithologist David Paton said the coming weeks would be a vital learning opportunity in the fight against bird flu.
“The more we learn over the next month or so about how the disease is transmitted to other species, the better,” Dr Paton said.
South Africa’s Minister for Primary Industries Claire Scriven urged members of the public to continue to contact the animal disease emergency hotline.
If you see a sick or dead bird:
- Don’t touch it.
- Record the location and take photographs if possible.
- Please report this to the Animal Emergency Hotline: 1800 675 888.