Bird flu threatens to devastate seabird population on Great Barrier Reef

A vulnerable colony of red-tailed tropic birds is being monitored for the deadly H5 bird flu, with fears the impact on Australian native bird populations could be significant.

Lady Elliot Island, the southernmost coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef and an important nesting site for the rarely seen red-tailed tropic birds, sits about 80 kilometres north-east of Bundaberg.

University of the Sunshine Coast PhD student, Ramney Edwards-Francis, is helping to monitor for the spread of avian influenza H5N1 after the virus arrived in Australia.

"It's a really scary time," Ms Edwards-Francis said.

"We've been watching bird flu … ravage the rest of the world for the last few years and just waiting for it to come here.

"If it were to arrive somewhere like this, it could have a really massive impact on the birds here, and that would just be devastating to see."

The researchers take blood samples from birds on the island and share the data with Biosecurity Queensland as part of national surveillance and response efforts.

Preparing for an outbreak

Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett has met with his state and federal counterparts to discuss ways to stop the virus reaching sensitive bird populations.

"We've been preparing for a number of years. But the impact potentially on our native bird population, and on our poultry industry will be significant," he said.

Queensland's acting chief biosecurity officer, Fiona Thompson, urged that any sightings of sick or dead birds be reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.

"The number of calls coming through to the emergency animal disease hotline has dramatically increased," she said.

"Early detection with this disease is vital so that we can further enhance our surveillance in that area."

Dr Thompson said of the more than 180 reports that related to H5 bird flu in Queensland in the past two weeks, all had returned negative results.

"So there's no evidence of bird flu in Queensland, Queensland wildlife, more broadly in our poultry industries or other animals," she said.

Dr Thompson said the department was prepared to respond to the virus if it was detected in Queensland, but ruled out any eradication of wild animals.

While the risk of human infection is low, Dr Thompson said people who worked closely with animals or wildlife should increase infection control or hygiene precautions.

University of Queensland virology professor Kirsty Short said the H5 variant originated in Antarctica and arrived in Australia through migratory seabirds.

She said there would be "knock-on effects for native species" but also raised concerns the virus had the potential to infect other animals.

In the United States, the virus has spread to other species including marine mammals, dairy cattle, alpacas, goats and cats.

"We're investigating how this virus evolves in our native species, and particularly whether certain native species actually drive the mammalian adaptation of this virus," Professor Short said.

Vulnerable birds

Red-Tailed tropic birds are listed as vulnerable in New South Wales and Queensland, with nesting sites on mountainous cliff faces of Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, and the remote Raine Island in the northern Great Barrier Reef.

The nesting site on Lady Elliot Island is the newest and most accessible to researchers.

"This colony is super interesting because it's a really new colony," Ms Edwards-Francis said.

The first breeding pair was recorded on the island in 1983 and the population has grown steadily since then, but Ms Edwards-Francis said relatively little was known about the species, which spends most of its life at sea.

She said the biggest question was how far the birds travelled and whether they were at risk of being exposed to the H5 bird flu.

"They could be completely leaving Australian jurisdiction, which means that they would be exposed to threats that we are unaware of or have no control over," Ms Edwards-Francis said.

"If we want to manage them effectively, it's really important we understand what threats they are faced with if they are travelling those really big distances.

"I just want people to know that these birds are really special, they're really interesting, and they deserve attention, and they deserve help."

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