First Australian death of a little penguin due to H5 avian influenza confirmed on Phillip Island | Bird flu

Australia’s first case of the deadly H5 bird flu virus has been confirmed in a baby penguin on Phillip Island in Victoria, just days after the state government announced it would begin vaccinating the species.

Confirming the presence of the virus in the little penguin will launch a race to vaccinate thousands of birds, as the government announced on Saturday that it would begin the vaccination process on Monday.

The government did not specify the exact location where the bird was found, but said it was not inside the famous island Penguin parade region.

A spokesman for the little penguin confirmed that he had died.

There are about 40,000 little penguins on Phillip Island, making it the largest colony of the species in the world and a major tourist attraction.

Conservationists have expressed concern about the potential mass death of little penguins if the virus reaches the island.

Euan Ritchie, professor of wildlife ecology and conservation at Deakin University, said the discovery of the H5 avian influenza virus in the adorable little penguin population was “devastating”.

“Philip Island is home to a diverse and large population of native wildlife, including the Australian fur seal, eastern bandicoot and the recently reintroduced stone curlew,” he said.

“Governments must provide all necessary resources to help wildlife survive and recover from avian influenza outbreaks.”

On Wednesday, the Victorian state government announced plans for the world’s largest H5 avian influenza vaccination program for wild birds.

The government said it will vaccinate up to 5,000 little penguins on Phillip Island and St Kilda Beach in Melbourne. While vaccination of wild birds is challenging, it was considered possible in Victoria’s little wild penguins because they generally return to the same burrows on Phillip Island and St Kilda every night.

But vaccination requires giving two doses, with an interval of a few weeks between each dose.

The discovery on Phillip Island will raise concerns that it is too late for some little penguins to develop immunity.

Victoria’s chief biodiversity officer, James Todd, said he understood Victorians would be concerned about the discovery of the deadly virus in a baby penguin.

“We know that the discovery of a baby penguin on Phillip Island is concerning,” he said.

“But we are moving forward with vaccinating the small penguin colony on Phillip Island and in St Kilda as a useful way in which we can help mitigate the impact of the H5 virus on these populations.

“We know that little penguins are held in high esteem by Victorians, and for this reason, we are working as a priority to protect those colonies.”

The state’s chief veterinary officer, Dr Graeme Cook, said nature parks in Victoria and Phillip Island had “activated plans” to vaccinate the baby penguins once the federal government allows vaccines for priority native bird species.

“Agriculture Victoria is working closely with Phillip Island Nature Parks to support vaccination of baby penguins from Monday,” he said.

“While the first discovery of little penguins is a concern, vaccinating little penguins on Phillip Island remains a useful way to help protect this important colony.”

The Victorian government said there had been two other detections of H5 virus in great terns, one at Lakes Entrance and another at Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula.

Todd said the Lakes Entrance discovery was important because it showed the virus was continuing to move through wild bird populations across Victoria.

On Saturday, the NSW Government also confirmed the fifth case discovered in the state, a tern found at Eden on the Far South Coast.

The government said it would strengthen surveillance in the area as a result.

There were two other confirmed cases in native birds in the state, one at Narooma on the state’s south coast and another at Wentworth in the far southwest. All confirmed cases in domestic birds have been in greater crested terns.