Deadly H5N1 Bird Flu Vaccination to be Administered to Wild Australian Species
Wild populations of endangered Australian animals will receive vaccinations to combat a lethal strain of bird flu, aiming to mitigate its effects.
TroibNews 
Wild populations of endangered animals in Australia will be vaccinated against a lethal strain of bird flu in an effort to mitigate its effects.
Tanya Plibersek, the environment minister, announced on Sunday that environmental officers are set to begin vaccinating endangered species against the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Additionally, efforts will be made to create captive breeding populations of these threatened species and to remove carcasses to thwart the disease's spread.
Australia stands as the only continent that has yet to confirm a case of the H5N1 strain, yet experts have cautioned that its arrival is inevitable.
The current global outbreak has resulted in significant mortality among wild birds and some mammalian species.
Earlier in October, the federal government allocated 95 million Australian dollars for new biosecurity, environmental, and public health initiatives to safeguard Australia from this strain.
"We are extremely worried about this variant of bird flu," Plibersek told Nine Entertainment newspapers. "We know it's in Antarctica now. We know it's in Indonesia. We're the last continent that this variant hasn't hit. We're doing our very best to prepare for it, but the simple truth is we can't keep it out of the country. It's likely to have potentially catastrophic impacts on our wild animals."
She expressed uncertainty about the susceptibility of Australia's iconic marsupials, such as koalas and kangaroos, to the transmission of H5N1.
While the specific wild species to be vaccinated has not yet been decided, those most vulnerable to an outbreak are likely to be prioritized.
Last Friday, Plibersek chaired a meeting with the environment ministers from Australia's states and territories, along with representatives from New Zealand, to coordinate preparations and protective measures against bird flu.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
Tanya Plibersek, the environment minister, announced on Sunday that environmental officers are set to begin vaccinating endangered species against the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Additionally, efforts will be made to create captive breeding populations of these threatened species and to remove carcasses to thwart the disease's spread.
Australia stands as the only continent that has yet to confirm a case of the H5N1 strain, yet experts have cautioned that its arrival is inevitable.
The current global outbreak has resulted in significant mortality among wild birds and some mammalian species.
Earlier in October, the federal government allocated 95 million Australian dollars for new biosecurity, environmental, and public health initiatives to safeguard Australia from this strain.
"We are extremely worried about this variant of bird flu," Plibersek told Nine Entertainment newspapers. "We know it's in Antarctica now. We know it's in Indonesia. We're the last continent that this variant hasn't hit. We're doing our very best to prepare for it, but the simple truth is we can't keep it out of the country. It's likely to have potentially catastrophic impacts on our wild animals."
She expressed uncertainty about the susceptibility of Australia's iconic marsupials, such as koalas and kangaroos, to the transmission of H5N1.
While the specific wild species to be vaccinated has not yet been decided, those most vulnerable to an outbreak are likely to be prioritized.
Last Friday, Plibersek chaired a meeting with the environment ministers from Australia's states and territories, along with representatives from New Zealand, to coordinate preparations and protective measures against bird flu.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
