Australis's 12,000 remaining sea lions at risk from bird flu

 

Headline:  The Guardian, 8/24/2026

Lisa Cox reports:

Scientists have warned deadly H5 bird flu could cause “carnage” for Australia’s seal and sea lion populations after detection of the virus in long-nosed fur seals in South Australia. 

SA confirmed Australia’s first case in a mainland mammal on Saturday after a dead long-nosed fur seal found at Beachport on the Limestone Coast tested positive for H5N1. 

The state government announced a second suspected case on Monday in a dead long-nosed fur seal found on the Pages Islands, off Kangaroo Island, with results from CSIRO testing pending. 

John Woinarski, a leading mammal scientist at Charles Darwin University, said he feared the virus would quickly start affecting more seals and sea lions. “The carnage may be substantial and represent a serious conservation impact,” he said. 

“I fear for Australian sea lions in particular because of their small population size.

Selected other bird flu posts (all from 2026):

Australia

"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)

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)

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)

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)

New Zealand

Some hens will soon be released from lockdown.  (8/25)

New Zealand reports 3rd case of bird flu.  (8/23)

Concern over survival of some species.  (8/20)

Bird-proofing sheds against bird flu.  (8/20)

New Zealand avian flu news:  Ditch those bird feeders, folks!  (8/12)

Avian flu threatens rare birds of New Zealand.  (8/10)

Largest New Zealand egg producer puts free-range chickens in lockdown as precautionary measure.  (7/20)

First bird flu case in New Zealand creates atmosphere of panic.  (7/20

New Zealand reports first case of bird flu.  (7/16)

USA:  Indiana

After 72 cases in 2026 and 200 since 2022, Indiana is declared free of bird flu.  (8/14)

Bird flu continues to ravage duck flocks in northern Indiana.  (6/8)

Indiana bird flu tally reaches 45 so far this year.  (6/5)

More outbreaks of bird flu reported in Indiana.  (6/5)

Indiana reports another case of bird flu.  (5/14)

After more than a month's hiatus, bird flu returns to Indiana.  (5/12)

Indiana has been hard hit by bird flu so far in 2026.  (4/21)

2026 bird flu tally in Indiana reaches 40 cases.  (4/11)

Indiana has reported 39 cases of bird flu so far this year (96 days).  (4/7)

Indiana continues to be ground zero for bird flu outbreaks.  (3/31)

In one day, Indiana boosts its year-to-date tally of bird flu cases to 32.  (3/27)

Indiana boosts its year-to-date tally of bird flu cases to 29.  (3/26)

And the bird flu hits just keep on comin' in Indiana this month.  (3/25)'

Indiana reports two more cases of bird flu bringing its tally to 26 so far this year.  (3/24)

Three more cases of bird flu reported in Indiana.  (3/23)

Crash leaves dead ducks from bird flu looking like road kill in Indiana.  (3/21)

Northeast Indiana continues to be hot spot for bird flu.  (3/20)

Indiana reports four more cases of bird flu.  (3/13)

Two cases of bird flu reported in LaGrange County Indiana.  (3/3)

Bird flu outbreak reported in Daviess County Indiana.  (3/2)

Boone County Indiana reports bird flu at commercial breeder turkey farm.  (2/18)

Duck flock hit with avian flu in Elkhart County, Indiana.  (2/17)

Commercial turkey flock in southwest Indiana hit with bird flu.  (2/17)

Bird flu wipes out hundreds of crows in Terre Haute, Indiana.  (2/10)

Indiana reports 2nd case of bird flu in 2026.  (1/25)

Flock of 3,000 ducks infected by bird flu in Indiana.  (1/23)

Bird flu continues to wreak havoc in Indiana.  (1/1)

USA:  Pennsylvania

Lancaster County Pennsylvania reports yet another case of bird flu. (4/1)

Since 2022 Pennsylvania has tallied 480 cases of bird flu affecting 16,000,000 domesticated birds.  (3/27)

Bird flu wipes out 850,000 egg-laying hens in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  (3/20)

Pennsylvania reports 28th case of bird flu so far this season.  (3/19)

More bird flu cases in Pennsylvania.  (3/10)

Lancaster County Pennsylvania is ground zero for this winter's bird flu outbreaks.  (3/1)

And the bird flu hits just keep on comin' for Lancaster County Pennsylvania.  (2/20)

'Unprecedented' outbreak of bird flu in ravaged Lancaster County Pennsylvania.  (2/18)

So far in 2026 Lancaster County Pennsylvania has recorded 2,400,000 cases of bird flu.  (2/16)

Lancaster County Pennsylvania is currently ground zero for bird flu.  (2/13)

Bird flu hits Lancaster County Pennsylvania again.  (2/12)

Second egg-laying facility in one week is hit with bird flu in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  (2/5)

Bird flu reported at Pennsylvania egg laying facility with 1,500,000 hens.  (2/2)

32,800 ducks infected by bird flu in Lancaster County Pennsylvania.  (1/2)

USA:  Utah

Weber County Utah declares milk production emergency due to bird flu.  (7/25)

Utah reports another outbreak of bird flu.  (7/17)

Box Elder County Utah declares milk production emergency due to bird flu impacts.  (7/11)

Bird flu in Utah:  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. does not approve of this message from Box Elder County.  (7/11)

Utah reports outbreak of bird flu affecting 1.2 million hens.  (7/8)

Utah bird flu news:  Mandatory testing for all dairy farms in Box Elder County.  (6/27)

Utah dairy herd tests positive for bird flu.  (6/7)

Bird flu on the rise in Utah.  (3/6)

Bird flu hits wild birds throughout Utah.  (2/16)