Our beaches are currently attracting many migrating birds journeying from as far afield as Siberia.
Short-tailed shearwaters also return to their breeding colonies s in southern Australia. Some of these will perish from exhaustion and natural causes along their migratory route and may be found washed ashore in Bayside from September to November.
The Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action has advised that migratory birds may bring Avian influenza or ‘bird flu’ to Victoria during spring.
Australia is the only large continent that is currently free of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) HN51 strain of the bird flu virus.
Since 1976, there have been 9 outbreaks of HPAI influenza strains in commercial birds in Australia.
How you can help
Keep an eye out for sick or dead birds at our beaches.
Reporting will be key to the early detection of HPAI H5N1 bird flu.
Make sure you are safe around sick or dead wild birds.
- Avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife, and their environment. Keep pets away from sick or dead wildlife. Don’t touch, move or collect sick or dead wild birds or wildlife.
- Record what you see: note the animal or animals’ location and take photos or video if this is possible without approaching the bird.
Contact
Please report any illness or death in wild birds and other wildlife immediately via:
1800 675 888
Emergency Animal Disease Hotline
136 186
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)
