A deadly strain of bird flu has been detected in wildlife on one of Australia’s most remote conservation areas.
H5 avian flu was detected in a southern elephant seal and kelp gull on Macquarie Island, about 1500 km southeast of Tasmania.
It is the first time the deadly strain of the virus has been detected on the island.
Australian Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson said there was no evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission of H5 bird flu in Australia and the risk to humans remained low.
“There remain no detections in Australian poultry or in our agricultural production system,” she said.
“Macquarie Island is administered as part of Tasmania, and these results will be recorded as part of Tasmania’s H5 bird flu reporting.”
Tasmania’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Guy Barnett said samples were collected from a southern elephant seal and kelp gull that were returned with workers stationed on Macquarie Island.
“Subsequently (they) tested returned a positive result for H5 bird flu,” he said.
“This is the first recorded detection in a marine mammal in Tasmania.”
In August, dozens of workers were told they would be evacuated from Macquarie Island this spring over fears of a potential outbreak of H5 bird flu.
Australia’s icebreaking research and supply vessel, RSV Nuyina, is traveling to the island to evacuate Australian workers stationed at Macquarie Island.
Scientists fear there is a high chance of a significant mortality event on the Island during this year’s breeding season.
Elephant seals are susceptible to H5 bird flu, with a 90 per cent mortality rate seen in pups on other sub-Antarctic Australian territories at Heard Island and McDonald Island.