Bird Flu Recorded in First Native Seabird with Confirmed Case Found at Robe
CSIRO testing confirmed the first native seabird infection as authorities reported three more cases and said there was no evidence of spread to farms.
- On Friday, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins confirmed the first H5N1 case in a native seabird, a greater crested tern found in Robe, South Australia, marking a new phase in the disease's spread.
- While Australia previously confirmed H5N1 in migratory birds, the virus was first detected in late 2025 on Heard Island, located about 4,100 km from the Australian mainland.
- Officials confirmed two additional infections in South Australia and one in Western Australia on Friday, bringing the total number of detections to 12 across the country.
- Collins described the development as "concerning" but not unexpected, with authorities "implementing enhanced surveillance in the area where this bird was found." Investigation continues to determine the virus's transmission pathway.
- The government reports no evidence of H5N1 spreading to agricultural settings or mass wildlife mortality, affirming that Australia's biosecurity system remains strong despite the virus's continued spread.
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23 Articles
Twelve cases have been recorded in Australia since June, but this is the first time that local wildlife has been affected Scientists have detected the H5 strain of avian influenza for the first time.
Australia has detected the H5 avian influenza virus in local seabirds for the first time, after it was found in great crown gulls off the coast of South Australia. The total number of confirmed cases has now risen to 12.
H5 bird flu detected in Australian seabird for first time
Australia was for years the only continental landmass to be free of the H5 strain, which has caused severe disease and high death rates in poultry and wild birds worldwide. A total of 12 cases of H5 bird flu have been confirmed in Australia since June but all of them were in migratory sea birds, not local wildlife. Laboratory testing confirmed the disease had infected a greater crested tern in the town of Robe, South Australia. "While this, of c…
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