<
https://theconversation.com/bird-flu-decimated-south-americas-marine-mammals-what-can-australia-do-differently-288800>
"Australia is now confronting an outbreak of a deadly bird flu strain.
As of Monday, the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus had been detected in 78 wild
birds across mainland Australia. Until now, there had been no evidence of a
large-scale outbreak.
But authorities have confirmed the first instance of mass death caused by H5N1
among dozens of greater crested terns off South Australia’s south-east coast.
They are also conducting further testing on a cluster of sick and dead terns in
south-west Victoria.
As H5N1 spreads across the country, researchers, wildlife managers and the
broader public are increasingly concerned about the risks it may pose beyond
birds.
Recent outbreaks have threatened aquatic mammals, including southern otters,
dolphins and porpoises. H5N1 has also decimated pinniped populations around the
globe, including in South America. Pinnipeds are marine mammals that live in
the sea and form colonies but spend extended periods on land, such as sea
lions, fur seals and elephant seals.
As the risk of a broader outbreak rises, Australia must protect its wildlife by
drawing on lessons from other continents already battling bird flu."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
