The warning signs are over: Australia now faces a devastating bird flu outbreak in wildlife

H5N1 bird flu has moved from isolated migratory cases to sustained local spread among Australian wildlife, with fifty-three confirmed detections in wild seabirds across five states as of Saturday. The Conversation reports South Australia is hit hardest, with thirty-nine cases including greater crested terns at the Limestone Coast and Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island, plus dozens more dead and sick terns under investigation near Cape Jaffa that could mark the first mass wildlife die-off linked to the virus in Australia. Seal Bay is also a breeding site for the endangered Australian sea lion, and researchers warn dense breeding colonies of seals, terns and gulls are especially vulnerable, pointing to overseas outbreaks that killed tens of thousands of elephant seals. There's still no detection in Australian poultry, but authorities say biosecurity and surveillance now need to expand quickly as the wild bird outbreak grows.

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