A dolphin has died from H5 hen flu in South Australia, marking the second native mammal species recognized to have contracted the virus.
It comes because the federal authorities introduced it might withdraw researchers from the subantarctic Macquarie Island analysis station because of the “psychosocial threat” of witnessing potential mass seal deaths from H5N1 in the course of the upcoming seal breeding season.
The widespread dolphin was discovered just lately deceased close to Goolwa on the SA’s Fleurieu Peninsula. State assessments confirmed the animal was optimistic for H5N1, with samples despatched to the Australian Centre for Illness Preparedness for additional evaluation.
It follows two earlier detections in long-nosed fur seals in SA at Beachport and the Pages Islands and a case in a crimson fox – a feral pest species – close to Port Adelaide.
The federal authorities’s threat evaluation rated widespread dolphins at excessive threat from hen flu, which means they probably face extreme inhabitants declines the place the virus takes maintain.
“Whereas the detection within the widespread dolphin is a brand new improvement in Australia, there’s proof of dolphins and porpoises catching H5 hen flu abroad,” a spokesperson for SA’s division of major industries and areas stated.
“Dolphins wouldn’t generally eat birds however it’s not uncommon for them to generally work together.”
The federal authorities stated on Friday it might withdraw 24 expeditioners primarily based on the analysis station on Macquarie Island within the Southern Ocean island about 1,500km south-east of Tasmania.
Whereas hen flu had not but been detected on the island, it was house to massive elephant seal populations near station buildings. Knowledgeable assessments had predicted “a excessive chance of a big mortality occasion in the course of the upcoming breeding season”.
“Whereas the chance to people stays low, a big mortality occasion in the course of the upcoming seal breeding season might expose expeditioners to extended psychological stress and different office impacts,” the division stated.
Division deputy secretary Sean Sullivan stated: “That is an uncommon measure, however is essentially the most acceptable plan of action, primarily based on our assessments of threat, and operational realities.”
“Our first precedence is the well being and security of our expeditioners. Whereas the chance to people of H5 hen flu is taken into account low, we will’t ignore the psychosocial dangers of residing close to probably massive numbers of affected animals,” he stated.
Sullivan stated the researchers lived and labored in one of many world’s most distant and difficult environments.
“We’ve seen what this illness can do, primarily based on our expertise at Heard Island and McDonald Islands.”
Drone surveys detected more than 13,000 dead southern elephant seal pups on Australia’s Heard Island in 2025 and 2026.
Sullivan stated the choice had been made to minimise the dangers to researchers and “throughout the entire Antarctic program” prematurely of any mass mortality occasion.
He stated Macquarie Island was distinctive in that hundreds of elephant seal pups had been born near the station each spring.
“No different Australian Antarctic station is on this place, and there are not any elephant seal colonies on mainland Australia,” he stated.
Sullivan stated the federal government was exploring choices for monitoring the state of affairs on Macquarie Island, with a view to “returning expeditioners to the station in coming seasons”.
The SA authorities stated on Friday it might transfer to confirming H5 hen flu circumstances within the state via native laboratories. Till now, state-based check outcomes have required verification by the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Illness Preparedness in Geelong. The state authorities stated enhancements to its testing processes meant affirmation of H5N1 circumstances might now be completed domestically.
The New South Wales authorities additionally introduced its plans to vaccinate wild populations of little penguins at Manly and Barunguba Montague Island.
The federal government may also stated “trial cohorts” of some captive hen populations, together with little penguins, carnaby’s black cockatoos and red-tailed black cockatoos, had obtained the primary vaccinations at Taronga Zoo this week.
