Off the rocky coastline of South Australia, a helicopter crew discovered what scientists and officials had long feared: H5N1 bird flu had claimed its first mass toll on Australian wildlife, leaving dozens of greater crested terns dead or dying near Cape Jaffa. The confirmation, announced in Canberra on Monday, marks a threshold moment — not merely for one species, but for an entire continent's relationship with a virus that has already reshaped the animal world. Australia's farms remain defended for now, but the virus has found a home in the wild, where fences and biosecurity protocols cannot
Australia confirms first H5N1 mass seabird die-off, warns of wider spread
No direct human casualties reported; however, significant wildlife mortality with 84 seabirds affected and broader ecosystem impact anticipated.