In a proactive measure against the imminent threat of the deadly H5N1 bird flu, Australia is set to vaccinate its endangered wildlife species. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek announced on Sunday that environment officers will soon begin vaccinating endangered animals against the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strain, breeding captive insurance populations of threatened species, and removing carcasses to prevent the spread of the disease.
“We are extremely worried about this variant of bird flu,” Plibersek told Nine Entertainment newspapers. “We know it’s in Antarctica now. We know it’s in Indonesia. We’re the last continent that this variant hasn’t hit. We’re doing our very best to prepare for it, but the simple truth is we can’t keep it out of the country. It’s likely to have potentially catastrophic impacts on our wild animals.”
Australia remains the only continent that has not yet recorded a case of the H5N1 strain, but experts warn its arrival is inevitable. The current global outbreak has led to mass deaths of wild birds and some mammal species, raising concerns over Australia’s unique fauna.
Authorities are uncertain about the susceptibility of iconic marsupials such as koalas and kangaroos to H5N1 transmission. While it has not been determined which wild species will be vaccinated, efforts will focus on those most at risk from an outbreak.
In response to the looming threat, the federal government committed 95 million Australian dollars (63.7 million US dollars) earlier in October for biosecurity, environmental, and public health measures to shield the nation from the strain.
Plibersek chaired a meeting on Friday with environment ministers from Australia’s states and territories, as well as New Zealand, to coordinate preparations and protective actions against the bird flu.
“It’s likely to have potentially catastrophic impacts on our wild animals,” Plibersek emphasized, highlighting the urgency of the situation. “We need to do everything we can to safeguard our biodiversity.”
Reference(s):
Wild Australian species to be vaccinated against deadly H5N1 bird flu
cgtn.com
