Australia fears H5N1 flu strain could cause extinction of native species

On August 6, Australian Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek warned that an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain in the country could lead to the extinction of native species.

Australia is the only continent that has not recorded H5N1 - the strain of bird flu that has killed off large numbers of birds and wildlife populations around the world.

Australia is the only continent that has not recorded H5N1. (Illustration photo: abc.net.au)

Speaking at the Australian Zoo and Aquarium Association conference, Minister Plibersek said the strain of flu would be introduced to Australia, potentially causing major damage to the country's biodiversity. The government is concerned about the potential impact of H5N1, particularly the risk of extinction of birds in Australia's captive breeding programs , which already have extremely low populations in the wild. She said that due to a lack of resistance to the new disease, many species in the wild would face the risk of extinction due to mass mortality.

Ms Plibersek said the government was taking the threat seriously and said a comprehensive approach across all levels of government and the private sector was needed to mitigate the risk at a particularly dangerous time, as the spring migration period approaches.

In July, the Australian government announced $6.9 million ($4.5 million) in funding for bird flu surveillance programs, warning that migratory birds arriving in Australia in spring could carry H5N1 flu.

Previously, by 2022, the federal government had set a target of preventing any new extinction of any native plant or animal species.