A migratory seabird has tested positive for deadly H5 bird flu in South Australia, marking the third confirmed case in Australia. The infected giant petrel was found unwell on Knights Beach in Port Elliot on 14 June, according to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas.
New Cases Across Two States
Western Australia also has a suspected positive case in a southern giant petrel found dead in the Quindalup region, which would bring the total number of infections to four. WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis confirmed the third suspected case in that state on Wednesday afternoon. Test samples have been sent to the CSIRO for confirmation.
Two migratory birds near Esperance tested positive last week for the H5N1 strain that has devastated wildlife populations globally. The first confirmed case was a brown skua found dead near Esperance.
Rapid Response and Public Warnings
Malinauskas said authorities were alerted on 19 June to social media posts indicating the bird was in care with Wildlife Welfare Organisation SA. "We responded quickly," he said, and the animal tested positive for H5 bird flu, confirmed by the CSIRO on Wednesday. The government is contacting volunteers who came into contact with unwell birds and will prescribe the antiviral Tamiflu if necessary.
"It's very, very important now that we have received a positive result from South Australia, that people are very aware that they can report any signs of bird life that is unwell or dead," Malinauskas said.
Wildlife Rescue Details
Justin Biddle, wildlife rescue centre manager for Wildlife Welfare Organisation, said the confirmed SA case was brought into the centre in Goolwa on 14 June. "We get a few giant petrels come in each year. This one was showing signs of being beach washed and debilitated," he said. The bird was cared for until South Australia's primary industries authority, Pirsa, was alerted by a social media post. Initial swab tests were negative but later deemed inconclusive. The bird was relatively fit and healthy and was putting on weight.
No Spread to Poultry or Local Wildlife Yet
Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said there continues to be no evidence H5 bird flu has spread to poultry animals or to local wildlife. Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson said it was concerning to have a confirmed detection in another jurisdiction of the deadly strain. Genome testing on the brown skua isolated the likely source to subantarctic territories, particularly Heard Island and McDonald Islands.
Scientists recently confirmed thousands of southern elephant seal pups on Heard Island and hundreds of adult king penguins in the subantarctic had died from the disease through 2025 and 2026.
Papua New Guinea Lifts Poultry Import Suspension
Collins announced that a suspension imposed by Papua New Guinea on imports of Australian poultry products had been lifted. PNG had imposed the restriction on all poultry products on Monday.
The Invasive Species Council said confirmation of H5 bird flu in another state "highlights the growing threat facing Australian wildlife." Policy Director Carol Booth reiterated calls for urgent $200 million in funding for conservation measures: "The concern now is not whether Australia is taking the threat seriously – it clearly is. The concern is how well our wildlife will cope when bird flu inevitably reaches more native bird and mammal populations."
