Australia has recorded its first infection of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain in a native bird, a greater crested tern found at Robe on the South Australian coast. The confirmation, announced on Friday, brings the country’s total H5 detections to twelve since June, all previous cases having been in migratory seabirds. A New Zealand fur seal in New South Wales is also under observation for what would be the first suspected spillover into an Australian mammal. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins described the development as concerning but not unexpected, noting there is no evidence of mass mortality, no infections in commercial poultry, and a low risk to human health.

Scientists are investigating the transmission pathway, with early attention focused on the overlapping coastal ranges of the tern and migratory species that had earlier tested positive. The global H5N1 clade has caused severe die-offs in wild birds and marine mammals, including the death of more than 13,000 elephant seal pups on Australia’s sub-Antarctic Heard Island. Australia was the last continental landmass to detect the strain on its mainland, and the shift from migratory to resident wildlife raises the prospect of the virus becoming endemic, a scenario that would make eradication extremely difficult.

In Western Australia, volunteer wildlife carers say they are operating without adequate protective equipment or government funding, as many private veterinary clinics have stopped accepting wild birds due to biosecurity risks. The state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions has said personal protective equipment is being supplied only for surveillance sampling and carcass collection, with wider distribution contingent on risk assessments if the disease spreads. Carers describe communication breakdowns between agencies and animals left to suffer without timely euthanasia or treatment. Viewed from the conservation sector, the Invasive Species Council has called the native-bird case a “worst nightmare” and is urging a A$200 million wildlife resilience package to reduce other threats—such as feral predators and wetland loss—so that native populations can better withstand disease outbreaks.

South Australian authorities have implemented enhanced surveillance around Robe, and federal experts including the chief veterinary officer are coordinating the national response. The public has been advised not to touch sick or dead birds and to report unusual mortality. The next factual milestone will be whether further native species or poultry test positive, and whether the virus establishes in local wildlife populations, a development that would shift the focus from containment to long-term resilience planning.