H5N1 avian flu is circulating among Australian bird populations amid mass animal deaths recorded across affected areas. A little penguin on King Island has tested positive for the deadly pathogen. Suspected cases of the infection have been detected at a South Australian tourist site.
Mass vaccination of little penguins has commenced in an attempt to limit the spread. Authorities are examining what happens next when hundreds of animals die from bird flu during an infection wave. Teams are striving to control the spread and preserve vulnerable bird populations.