Australia's Macquarie Island detects H5N1 bird flu for the first time; experts worry that elephant seals may die in large numbers

(Central News Agency, Sydney, 17th, comprehensive foreign news reports) Australian authorities confirmed today that the H5N1 avian influenza virus was detected for the first time on Macquarie Island in the sub-Antarctic region. This deadly virus has been detected in the elephant seal population on the island.

Reuters reported that Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson said that official tests confirmed that highly pathogenic virus strains were detected in elephant seal and kelp gull samples collected on Macquarie Island. This is the first time that H5 avian influenza virus has been found on the island.

Australia became the last continent to report an avian influenza outbreak in June. However, according to local media reports, the virus had appeared on Heard Island, another sub-Antarctic territory in Australia, as early as the end of 2025, when more than 13,000 seal pups died.

Like Heard Island, Macquarie Island is located in the Southern Ocean, between the Australian state of Tasmania and Antarctica. It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The island is also an important breeding ground for southern elephant seals.

Southern elephant seals, which can weigh up to 3,600 kilograms, are particularly vulnerable to H5 avian influenza virus infection. The Australian federal government says the mortality rate for seal pups can exceed 90 per cent in some cases.

Australia's environment department said in August that it had decided to evacuate staff at the Macquarie Island research station due to concerns about a possible outbreak of H5 avian influenza, which would pose psychological and social risks to researchers on the island.