H5N1 avian flu is circulating among Australian bird populations with large numbers of bird deaths noted across affected areas. A little penguin on King Island has contracted the virus. Suspected cases of the infection have recently surfaced at a South Australian tourist site.
Mass vaccination of little penguins has begun in an attempt to limit the outbreak. Authorities are investigating what happens next when hundreds of animals die from bird flu during an outbreak. Teams are working to manage the situation and preserve vulnerable bird populations.