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Australia will begin targeted vaccinations for bird species considered especially vulnerable to the highly contagious H5 avian influenza virus, authorities said Tuesday.
The move comes after Australia, which had remained free of the H5 strain for years, recorded its first case in June in a migratory seabird. Last week, the government confirmed the country’s first mass wildlife mortality event linked to the virus.
Environment Minister Murray Watt said vaccinations would be provided to both captive and, where feasible, wild birds.
“It is difficult to vaccinate birds in the wild,” Watt said, noting that birds require two doses. “It is difficult to catch wild birds once, let alone twice.”
He said captive birds would be the government’s priority, while efforts would also be made to vaccinate wild birds where practical.
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins warned that Australia should expect further mass bird deaths as the virus spreads.
The species considered most vulnerable include waterfowl, shorebirds, seabirds and birds of prey.
As of Monday, authorities had recorded 231 confirmed or suspected cases of H5 avian influenza in Australia. No cases have so far been detected in poultry or commercial agricultural production.
Australia is home to an exceptionally diverse range of wildlife, with almost half of its bird species and 83 percent of its mammals found nowhere else in the world, raising concerns over the potential impact of the virus on native species.
The H5 strain has already caused significant wildlife losses elsewhere. Australian scientists said in June that the virus killed more than 13,000 elephant seal pups after spreading through a breeding colony on the remote Heard and McDonald Islands.