Experts warn H5N1 bird flu spread to the Northern Territory 'inevitable'

The H5N1 strain of bird flu is expected to inevitably make its way to the Northern Territory, according to health authorities. Wildlife experts and conservationists are warning that vaccination of native species is not a viable solution and are instead calling on the territory's network of birdwatchers and conservationists to help curb the disease's spread.

Chief Veterinary Officer Sue Fitzpatrick has urged bird owners to vaccinate their flocks and report any symptoms, urging vigilance against the disease. The virus, first detected in Western Australia in late June, has now been found across all six Australian states. Senior Manager of Species Management at the Northern Territory's Department of Lands, Planning and Environment, Tony Griffiths, stated that the disease's arrival in the Northern Territory was imminent.

For bird owners, the threat of an outbreak has created a sense of anxiety, with an outbreak in Darwin's northern suburbs potentially devastating local wildlife. The NT's Chief Veterinary Officer emphasized that both wild species and backyard poultry farmers are at risk, urging vigilance from the bird-keeping community. The plan to combat the H5N1 virus in the Northern Territory will largely rely on wide-scale surveillance of known bird habitats, such as the Top End coastline and Barkly Lakes, rather than vaccination of native species.