Tasmania battles H5 bird flu as vaccination of endangered parrots begins

The H5 avian influenza virus has spread statewide in Tasmania, with recent positive tests in a tern at Marrawah, a forest raven at Triabunna—the first case in that species—and another tern at Acton Park, raising the total to 54 detections since the outbreak began in August. Incident controller Wes Ford said the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania will now focus reporting on the areas where the virus is found, noting that public submissions of sick or dead birds have been crucial for surveillance.

In parallel, the state government has started a vaccination campaign for roughly 350 captive orange-bellied parrots at the Five Mile Beach breeding facility, a species whose wild population is estimated at fewer than 100 individuals. Environment Minister Guy Barnett and federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins announced a two-dose regimen, after which the birds will be moved to Melaleuca to reinforce the wild population.

No mass mortality events or poultry infections have been recorded, and chicken and egg supplies remain safe. Authorities reiterate that the risk to humans is low but advise people to stay away from ill birds and report sightings to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.