Invading the globe: Bird flu now threatens Australia and Oceania
Like a dark cloud of pestilence spreading across the globe in a science fiction movie, a highly contagious, fatal strain of avian influenza is continuing its death march across the globe, infecting wild birds, poultry, dairy cattle and mammals from pole-to-pole, sometimes with massive mortalities. In mid-June, it invaded the last bird flu-free continent, Australia, when […]
A highly contagious and deadly strain of bird flu, H5N1, is rapidly spreading across the globe, infecting wildlife, poultry, dairy cattle, and even mammals, according to a recent report. This virus, which has now reached every continent, has caused massive mortalities in avian and mammal populations, some of which are already endangered.
In mid-June, the virus entered Australia, a continent previously free of the disease, when it was detected in migratory seabirds that likely brought it from the Antarctic. This development has raised serious concerns for wildlife in Australia, New Zealand, and surrounding islands, where many vulnerable endemic species reside. The virus has spread to over 690 events, with thousands of birds killed, and has also infected mammals like the endangered Australian sea lion at crucial breeding sites.
Since its discovery, H5N1 has infected around 613 bird species and approximately 112 mammal species, both wild and domestic. The virus continues to mutate and adapt, infecting new hosts, posing a significant threat to global biodiversity.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
