Brown skuas and giant petrels rarely make landfall. When they were found in WA, scientists feared ‘bad news’ for wildlife
Summary
Two rare seabirds, a brown skua and a giant petrel, were found sick and died on beaches in southern Western Australia. Both tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, marking the first confirmed cases in Australia, which has so far avoided the disease spreading there.Key Facts
- Brown skuas and giant petrels usually stay at sea and rarely come to land.
- Both birds were found sick on beaches a few kilometers apart in southern Western Australia.
- Tests confirmed the birds had the H5N1 strain of avian influenza (bird flu).
- Australia had been free of H5N1 until these cases were discovered.
- The virus has killed millions of birds and mammals worldwide since 2021.
- Experts and government agencies are watching closely to see if the virus spreads further.
- These seabirds breed in Antarctica and spend winter in southern Australian waters.
- Sick birds coming ashore can spread the virus to other birds through contact or feeding on carcasses.
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