Expeditioners at research station on Macquarie Island will be evacuated over possible ‘psychological stress’, while 100 dead little penguins found on Tasmanian island
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A dolphin has died from H5 bird flu in South Australia, marking the second native mammal species known to have contracted the virus.
On Friday afternoon, the Tasmanian government said it was assessing the discovery of about 100 dead little penguins on King Island but it was unable to test them for H5 bird flu due to their “decayed condition”.
It comes as the federal government announced it would withdraw researchers from the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island research station due to the “psychosocial risk” of witnessing potential mass seal deaths from H5N1 during the upcoming seal breeding season.
The common dolphin was found recently deceased near Goolwa on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. State tests confirmed the animal was positive for H5N1, with samples sent to the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for further analysis.
It follows two earlier detections in long-nosed fur seals in SA at Beachport and the Pages Islands and a case in a red fox – a feral pest species – near Port Adelaide.
The federal government’s risk assessment rated common dolphins at high risk from bird flu, meaning they potentially face severe population declines where the virus takes hold.
“While the detection in the common dolphin is a new development in Australia, there is evidence of dolphins and porpoises catching H5 bird flu overseas,” a spokesperson for SA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions said.
“Dolphins would not commonly eat birds but it is not unusual for them to sometimes interact.”
In Tasmania, the state government said about 100 dead little penguins were found at Stokes Point, the southern tip of King Island, during wildlife monitoring activities. The government has labelled the deaths a mass mortality event but said the cause had not been established.
The natural resources and environment department said the birds were not considered suitable for H5 bird flu testing due to their decayed condition.
Brendon Clark, north-west regional manager for the parks and wildlife service, said authorities were working to “assess the circumstances surrounding the discovery and determine whether any further management actions are required”.
“Any loss of wildlife is concerning, and we recognise this discovery will be upsetting for residents, visitors and others who care deeply about Tasmania’s unique wildlife.
“While assessments of the site have identified injuries on many of the birds, it is not possible to definitively determine the cause of death from the information currently available.”
