Brown skuas and giant petrels rarely make landfall. When they were found in WA, scientists feared ‘bad news’ for wildlife

Lead

Two seabirds found sick on beaches in Western Australia have tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, marking the virus's first confirmed arrival in Australia. The discovery has put wildlife experts and government agencies on high alert, as the country had been the only continent where the virus had not yet been detected.

Coverage Comparison

Both ABC Australia and The Guardian reported the cases, with some differences in detail and emphasis. ABC Australia highlighted the potential threat to Australian wildlife, particularly ducks and black swans, quoting ecologists about the risks if the virus spreads to freshwater environments. The Guardian focused on the broader context, noting that the virus has killed millions of birds and mammals worldwide since 2021, and that experts are waiting to see if these two cases signal the beginning of a larger outbreak.

Key Claims

According to ABC Australia, a brown skua was found sick on a beach near Esperance, and a southern giant petrel was found at a nearby beach. The Guardian reported that the giant petrel tested positive for H5N1 on Monday, two days after the case was confirmed in the skua; both birds have since died.

ABC Australia reported that the virus has been detected in over 400 wild bird species and 40 different types of mammals since the outbreak began. The Guardian noted that the virus has killed millions of birds and mammals around the world since 2021.

The Guardian reported that almost 60 reports of sick and dead birds in Western Australia were made to a nationwide hotline over the weekend. Australia's chief veterinary officer, Dr Beth Cookson, said there was no sign that the two infections had spread to other birds.

ABC Australia quoted Deakin University ecologist Marcel Klaassen warning of "bad territory" if the virus is carried to freshwater environments and ducks. Ducks have been key spreaders of the virus in the northern hemisphere, as they can transmit it through faecal-oral contamination of water. The outlet also noted that black swans lack some immune genes that combat viral infections found in other species of water birds.

The Guardian quoted Dr Lauren Roman, a seabird researcher at the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, saying that biosecurity efforts had focused on the northern hemisphere, where the virus first emerged, but an arrival from Antarctica and its surrounds had always been seen as a possibility.

Perspectives

Ecologists and researchers

Marcel Klaassen from Deakin University expressed concern about the potential for the virus to spread via ducks in freshwater environments, which could have severe consequences for Australian wildlife.

Government officials

Dr Beth Cookson, Australia's chief veterinary officer, said there was no evidence that the two infections had spread to other birds, while acknowledging that authorities remain on high alert.

Scientists

Dr Lauren Roman, a seabird researcher at the University of Tasmania, noted that while biosecurity had focused on the northern hemisphere, the possibility of the virus arriving from Antarctica had always been considered.