The state government’s planned vaccination program to protect 5,000 little penguins on Phillip Island and St Kilda Pier will go ahead, despite the death of one of the small birds from the H5N1 virus on Saturday. 

The death, announced on Saturday, was also discovered along with the deaths of two crested terns – one in Lakes Entrance and one in Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula from the virus.

What they said: Victoria’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Graeme Cooke, said in a statement the vaccination program remains a “meaningful way to help protect” the colony of penguins.

Victoria’s Chief Biodiversity Officer, James Todd, said in a statement the detection of H5N1 in Gippsland lakes was concerning.

“The Gippsland Lakes are also habitat for large numbers of seabirds, shorebirds and waterbirds at higher risk from H5 bird flu, so spread of the virus through this area is likely to have significant impacts on wildlife.”

There have been 239 confirmed cases of bird flu in Australia, 53 of those have been in Victoria.

Gippsland councils’ $4.7 million plan for housing and road upgrades ahead of offshore wind roll out

“We need to make sure that we're prepared and we can accommodate the workers.”

👀 Keep an eye out

Symptoms of avian flu in wild birds include animals having difficulty walking, breathing or flying, an unusual head or neck posture, a droopy appearance or dying suddenly without an apparent cause.

If you see any of these signs on birds in your community, you can report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.

If you find a deceased bird, don't touch it and try to keep dogs away.

Cover image credit: Phillip Island Tourism.

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