Nervous wait for farmers as bird flu investigation expands

Farmers and producers across an enormous stretch of southern Western Australia are facing a nervous wait, as authorities determine just how far a deadly strain of bird flu has spread.

Testing has so far confirmed two cases of the H5N1 strain of avian flu in migratory seabirds found along WA's remote south east coast last week.

The giant petrel and brown skua were found along remote coastline near Esperance, 700 kilometres south-east of Perth, in and around critical habitats for rare and migratory birds.

At least 58 additional reports of dead or dying birds and animals have been reported to authorities since the initial detection was revealed.

Precautionary work begins

With testing and sampling of those animals likely to inform the government's response to the outbreak, farmers like Bill Evans are facing a tense few days.

A pastured egg producer in Nannup, 640km west of Esperance, he said the implications of those results would be felt across the state and country.

With his free-ranging chickens central to his business, Mr Evans has been left particularly exposed.

"Our birds live outside all the time, except for when they roost at night," he said.

"We can't do much about it at the moment, but it's certainly foremost in our minds."

Immediate steps on his farm include maintenance of an already strict biosecurity regime.

But he is anticipating additional bad news in coming days.

"It certainly wouldn't be an isolated incident; if they've found two [birds] there's bound to be more somewhere," Mr Evans said.

"We don't allow anything that's not meant to be on the farm on the farm if we can help it.

"We've just got to grin and bear it; it was always going to come, it was just a matter of when and where."

Back in Esperance, the poultry association has also cancelled its upcoming show as a precautionary step.

Esperance Poultry Association president Gavin Millard said it was a collective step from members.

"Being close to the centre of it, we don't want to be the crew that sends it throughout the state," he said.

"We're better off being safe, keeping that biosecurity up and letting things play out."

Migratory birds potential spreaders

Having recently returned from a research trip to Antarctica to study the brown skua, University of NSW ecologist Simon Gorta said migratory predators and scavengers were ideal conduits for avian influenza.

"They seem to be reasonably susceptible to it, unfortunately," he said.

"It's bad news for them, but also for a lot of wildlife … they seem to have the capacity to spread it.

"They migrate large distances, and if they pick up the disease along the way, there's potential to spread the disease into new regions."

With the virus low-risk for humans, taking precautions around dead or sick animals and reporting sightings remained the most sensible approach, Mr Gorta said.

"We need to stay alert, but not alarmed, as they saying goes," he said.

"It's considered low-risk to humans [and] when humans have got it, it's largely when they have been in very, very close contact, in the poultry industry for example."

He said Australia's long success in keeping avian flu out of the country would help the ongoing response.