Portland community worries that seal 'Sammy' may contract bird flu from dead birds

Portland residents have voiced anxiety after the well-known elephant seal dubbed "Sammy" was observed lying close to piles of dead birds along a local slipway. Slipway caretaker Scott Kempton has spent the last three weeks using a shovel to haul away the carcasses, sometimes counting more than twenty in a single day, to prevent odor and potential disease spread. Wildlife supporter Helen Oakley highlighted the risk that Sammy could contract the H5N1 avian flu, especially after Australia recorded its first bird-flu death in a long-nosed fur seal at Beachport, South Australia.

University of Tasmania Antarctic ecologist Jane Younger explained that while the virus has devastated seal pups elsewhere, Sammy’s solitary habits might protect him, though environmental exposure remains a threat. Oakley called for strict distancing of at least 30 metres and keeping dogs away, warning that aggressive encounters could lead to euthanasia of the seal. While Kempton expressed satisfaction with the state government’s response, he noted community frustration over perceived inaction, and Agriculture Victoria did not comment before publication.