Fur seal‘s death marks first Australian mainland mammal fatality from spreading H5 bird flu strain

According to The Guardian, a long‑nosed fur seal was found dead at Beachport in South Australia on Wednesday after contracting H5 bird flu. It marks the first confirmed fatality of a mainland Australian mammal from the virus, which has already led to mass bird deaths on nearby islands, including more than one thousand greater crested terns. The infection also resulted in a little penguin on Kangaroo Island testing positive for the same strain. The South Australian government confirmed that the penguin was positive for H5 bird flu.

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