An update on H5 bird flu in Australia

H5 bird flu spreads like wildfire, with one critical difference

It’s hard to ignore a fire. Even for those of us tucked deep in the urban sprawl, when there’s a bushfire raging, the smell of wood smoke and the spectre of a crimson sun are inescapable signals that a disaster is unfolding.

When describing how H5 bird flu is spreading through our wildlife, we often use fire as a metaphor because it feels appropriate and familiar to every Australian. It has now been four months since H5 bird flu arrived in Australia, and comparing the virus to fire helps us understand what has transpired in that time.

Birds infected with H5 bird flu arriving on our shore were like the embers cast by an inferno and carried on the wind, their destination at the mercy of the weather. Those falling embers create the frightening possibility of spot fires appearing across the landscape. If local conditions allow, these fires take hold and continue to spread, sending up embers of their own.

Across Western Australia, despite many early detections, the embers mercifully burnt out without local spread being detected.  Cases in Queensland appear to have experienced a similar fate, mostly sparing local wildlife populations in those places for now. However, the conditions were different along the coasts of South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. In these areas, the virus has caught hold, and it is currently spreading through populations of wild birds and mammals, most significantly observed in Greater Crested Terns. Genomic analyses suggest these instances of local spread originated from a particular cluster that first developed on the beaches of south-eastern South Australia. At the time of writing, H5 bird flu cases are also increasing in number in southern coastal zones of NSW, which may soon follow the same trajectory as the other southern states.

Likening the behaviour of the virus to a blaze is helpful, but there is a critical difference. Unlike a fire, H5 bird flu can be ignored. We don’t detect it on the air when we step outside. It doesn’t loom over our cities to remind us daily that a disaster is unfolding nearby.

H5 bird flu is on the move

On the frontline of H5 bird flu’s spread, it’s a different story. In parts of South Australia and Victoria, the threat has been more obvious, as thousands of birds have been killed, and coastal communities have been confronted with having to witness the effects. Dead and dying birds have been seen mixing closely with healthier birds, and birds of prey have been seen carrying infected carcasses away to feed to their young. These interactions provide pathways for rapid transmission between species.

At present, the outbreaks are localised and largely confined to coastal ecosystems. In this current outbreak, the virus has not yet reached waterfowl. Studies on outbreaks overseas have revealed that ducks and their relatives can play a big part in the spread of bird flu across wetland and waterway systems.

While media coverage of H5 bird flu has slowed, the ‘fire’ is not out. Indeed, the move to a new way of reporting H5 bird flu casualties could be a mere smokescreen. Initially, reports of H5 bird flu cases included the total number of individual birds to have tested positive, but that changed two months in, with official reports now only counting the number of H5 bird flu ‘events’. While this is more manageable for those crunching the numbers, this shift in reporting obscures the scale of the outbreak by reducing a mass mortality event to a single datapoint that could represent the loss of many thousands of birds. This kind of reporting sheds no light on the ecological significance of the outbreaks which is left out of sight and, potentially, out of mind.

The Federal Government reports to have allocated $270 million for preparedness and response to the outbreak, with just $20 million earmarked for managing its effect on Australian wildlife. Wildlife surveillance and incident reporting has been ramped up, but monitoring of the extent of losses in populations of impacted species is lacking. Vaccination programs may offer some protection for closely managed populations, but this is rarely feasible; most populations of wild birds at risk from H5 bird flu simply have no vaccination options. Urgent on-ground mitigation activities are needed to safeguard threatened species, like EPBC listed vulnerable Fairy Terns which are yet to see the benefit of the recent funding as they commence their breeding season, already vulnerable to human disturbance, algal bloom, climate change and predators. Despite the seriousness of the threat, not enough funding or attention is being paid to the work that needs to be done to help vulnerable birds withstand the spread.

We can’t afford to look away

While H5 bird flu can too easily be ignored, we must make sure it isn’t. The virus continues to spread and wild birds and mammals are dying. Areas without active outbreaks have a crucial window before the summer breeding season of seabirds and waterbirds to learn from the experience of the ‘outbreak states’ and plan and prepare for what could very well be a second wave of infection – one that may be even more deadly.

Current official reporting methods downplay the scale of the outbreak and public pressure naturally wanes while events transpire away from the public eye. BirdLife Australia and our supporters are continuing to sound the alarm because, as with fire, complacency could lead to disaster.

Healthier populations have a better chance of withstanding the virus and supporting vulnerable populations ‘downwind’ of the virus will boost their chances of making it through. For those already impacted, their best hope of recovery will come from conservation actions that boost numbers and tip the scales back in favour of survival. It’s critical this occurs before the situation becomes impossible to ignore.

What you can do:

Avoid, record, report 

Immediately report any suspected cases to the 24/7 Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.  

Keep advocating for our birds!
Healthy birds and healthy habitats are the best defence we have against the effects of H5 bird flu outbreaks. Join our call for $200 million for ramped up wildlife resilience programs. This funding is required to be delivered at all levels to support meaningful and lasting local and targeted conservation programs that reduce threats and support healthy habitats on our beaches, wetlands and waterways.