A deadly virus is nearing Australia, killing millions of birds as it spreads

While COVID has been spreading around the world, killing at least 7 million humans, avian (bird) flu has also been spreading, killing millions of wild birds. The Invasive Species Council has been advocating for our native wildlife to be part of the Australian Government’s response plan to this new deadly strain of bird flu. Until now, the plan has focussed on poultry, aviary and zoo birds, not wild birds or mammals which are also at risk.

Since 2002, new strains of avian influenza virus (a.k.a. bird flu) have infected poultry and more than 300 species of wild birds in Europe, Africa, Asia and America. The virus has also infected and killed thousands of mammals, including hundreds of humans.

When it reached Central and South America in late 2022, the virus spread rapidly through 9 countries within 4 months.

In Peru alone, bird flu killed more than 60,000 seabirds and 3,500 sea lions. If it reaches Australia, our wildlife is at risk.

While bird flu viruses naturally infect wild aquatic birds all over the world – mainly ducks, geese, swans, shorebirds, terns and gulls – they generally only cause mild symptoms, or none at all.

View full blog here:

https://invasives.org.au/blog/the-other-pandemic-protecting-australian-wildlife-from-the-avian-flu/