Fears for ‘gregarious’ local celebrity Sammy the elephant seal in Victorian bird flu hotspot

Bird flu has reached a new hotspot in Victoria, and locals are worried about it hitting close to home. The Guardian reports that since H5 bird flu arrived in Portland, Victoria, residents have described the scene as grim, with dead and suffering birds along the beach. Concern has grown since the virus was confirmed in a fur seal at Beachport, South Australia, just a two-hour trip away, raising fears for the area's beloved local seal, known as Sammy.

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