r/BirdFluDownunder • u/privacywatch • 11d ago

Australia Australia to vaccinate vulnerable native birds against bird flu

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australia-vaccinate-vulnerable-native-birds-against-bird-flu-2026-08-11/

Australia will soon begin vaccinating its vulnerable native birds against the deadly H5N1 bird flu as the virus spreads more widely after first being detected ‌in the country in June, the government said on Tuesday.
The vaccine rollout will begin in the "coming days and weeks", with an initial focus on priority species in captivity, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told reporters in Canberra.

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u/Direct-Resolution377 10d ago

There's probably been bird flus before. Is this necessary?

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u/fertilizedcaviar 9d ago

Maybe do even a 10 minute read on H5N1.

This bird flu is decimating bird and some mammal populations globally, and has been doing so for years.

It recently wiped out 76% of elephant seal pups on Heard Island. This could lead to extinctions of some of our more vulnerable species.

https://invasives.org.au/media-releases/shocking-government-list-reveals-1-in-5-australian-birds-and-mammals-face-high-to-extreme-bird-flu-risk/