Australia bird flu news: "Psychological risk" on Macquarie Island

 

Headline:  ABC News Australia, 8/27/2026

Jano Gibson reports:

The Australian Antarctic Division will launch a mission to extract personnel from Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean due to the psychological risk posed by a potential outbreak of bird flu. 

The sub-Antarctic island, 1,500 kilometres south-east of Hobart, is a World Heritage-listed wildlife sanctuary with up to 4 million seabirds and 100,000 seals. [emphasis added]

The island is currently free of the deadly H5 strain of bird flu. 

But once it arrives, up to 90 per cent of baby elephant seals could perish, as happened on Heard Island over summer, when 13,000 pups died from bird flu.

Other Australia bird flu posts:

August 16-31, 2026

Bird flu suspected case of red fox infection in Australia.  (8/27)

Australia's 12,000 remaining sea lions at risk from bird flu.  (8/26)

"Indicator status" of black swans.  (8/25)

Australia reports first mammal death from bird flu.  (8/24)

Kangaroo Island residents worry about spread of virus.  (8/23)

So far wild birds but not poultry affected .  (8/21)

Bird flu kills 1000 crested terns in South Australia.  (8/21)

Cause of mass death of birds in Victoria not yet confirmed.  (8/20)

Philip Island penguin dies of bird flu.  (8/17)

First reported case in Narooma sets off worries over impact on tourism business.  (8/16)

August 1-15, 2026

In Australia, avian flu takes a toll on wild birds.  (8/15)

Officials considers closing of public areas.  (8/13)

Chicken lockdown expands.  (8/13)

Poultry events cancelled at agricultural show.  (8/9)

New South Wales reports first case in native species.  (8/9)

Poultry farms in VIctoria go into lockdown,  (8/8)

Australia is facing a bird flu outbreak in wildlife.  (8/2)

Seagull tests positive for bird flu in Australia.  (8/1)

WATT Poultry finally gets around to reporting on bird flu in Australia and New Zealand after 6-week layoff.  (8/7)

Australia fears  a bird flu disaster is looming.  (8/6)

Spread of bird flu in Australia.  (8/4)

Mass mortality bird flu event in Australia.  (8/3)

July 2026

Australia sounds the alarm for local birds and sea lions.  (7/31)

Bird flu cases confirmed in South Australia.  (7/30)

Victoria reports first case of bird flu.  (7/30)

Will these 7 suspected cases of bird flu in South Australia be confirmed?   (7/28)

Two cases of bird flu reported in South Australia.  (7/26)

Queensland reports first case of bird flu.  (7/24)

Detected cases of bird flu in Australia jumps to 17.  (7/23)

6th and 7th cases of bird flu reported in Australia.  (7/4)

June 2026

Australia reports 4th case of bird flu.  (6/28)

Australia confirms 3rd case of bird flu.  (6/25)

Bird flu has now reached every continent.  (6/23)

First bird flu case in Australia leads to poultry farm lockdowns.  (6/23)

Australia reports its first case of bird flu.  (6/19)