Mass mortality of Greater Crested Terns discovered

Mass mortality in Greater Crested Terns shows how deadly H5 bird flu is to wildlife

49 deceased and 35 sick Greater Crested Terns have been discovered by aerial surveillance at Baudin Rocks south of Cape Jaffa in South Australia. Minister for Climate, Environment and Water Emily Bourke announced the disturbing development today while also revealing that six more birds (three Greater Crested Terns and three Silver Gulls) have returned suspected positive results for H5 bird flu from several locations including one Greater Crested Tern at Monarto, inland from the coast. Victoria has also announced more suspected positive cases today with an additional five Greater Crested Terns in the state’s southwest.

“This is a very significant escalation of the bird flu situation in Australia, and a very bleak milestone,” said Kate Millar, CEO, BirdLife Australia. “We’ve known for a long time that H5 bird flu can cause mass mortality in wildlife, and that’s exactly what appears to be happening to the Greater Crested Terns at Baudin Rocks. These birds nest in colonies so we’re really concerned that the virus is going to be devastating to this local population, but it is also likely to continue spreading to more species, as we have seen in the first Silver Gull cases being detected this week.

“We commend South Australia for undertaking the aerial surveillance that has made this important discovery, but this information now needs to guide well considered response actions to support threatened species at immediate risk in the region. Response Plans need to be enacted as we have seen at Seal Bay.”

“Sadly, we’re at the beginning of a long and challenging battle. Birds and wildlife are going to need all the help they can get.”

“We know we can’t control the virus, but there are things we can control. We can control other immediate threats to vulnerable birds and wildlife, and we can protect breeding colonies and habitats to bolster populations most at risk to give them a better chance of surviving an outbreak. That’s why we’re continuing to call on the Government to invest $200M in an urgent Wildlife Resilience Package to help threatened birds and wildlife withstand H5 bird flu in Australia.”

BirdLife Australia Media Enquiries
Please contact James Johnson on 0468 193 484 or at media@birdlife.org.au

Avoid, Record, Report 

Any signs of unusual illness or death in wild and domestic birds should be recorded and reported immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline at 1800 675 888.  Do not touch any sick or dead animals.  To learn more about H5 bird flu and what it means for humans, birds and wildlife in Australia, visit our dedicated H5 bird flu information hub.