Almost 60 little penguins get bird flu vaccine as NSW expands its rollout

Wildlife teams in New South Wales have started vaccinating little penguins on Big Island and Bowen Island against H5 bird flu, after almost 60 penguins on Barunguba Montague Island received their first dose, the NSW government said. Colonies on the Tollgate Islands and Snapper Island are next.

The virus was found in a Victorian penguin colony in August

Australia has reason to move quickly. On 15 August, authorities announced that a dead little penguin from Phillip Island in Victoria had tested positive for H5N1, AAP FactCheck reported. Phillip Island holds the world's largest little penguin colony, with around 40,000 birds.

NSW announced its own program on 28 August, starting with trial groups of little penguins, Carnaby's black cockatoos and red-tailed black cockatoos vaccinated by Taronga Conservation Society Australia, according to the state government. At that time, bird flu had not been detected in commercial poultry or captive birds anywhere in Australia.

Every penguin needs two doses, three to four weeks apart

Vaccinating wild seabirds is slow, physical work. Specialist teams have to find and catch penguins across steep, rocky and often remote islands. Each bird is weighed and microchipped so it can be identified when the team returns for the second dose.

At some sites, GPS mapping and motion-sensor cameras track nests and penguin activity after vaccination. The government said the teams worked with veterinarians and wildlife specialists to keep disturbance low and to respect the cultural significance of each site. Captive wildlife facilities are also moving through the approval process to vaccinate their birds.

“These vaccination operations are a major logistical undertaking. Our teams are navigating difficult terrain and challenging conditions because protecting our Little Penguins is too important to ignore.” — Penny Sharpe, NSW Minister for the Environment

Officials say the vaccine is one tool, not a cure-all

The state government described vaccination as "not a standalone solution or a silver bullet" for H5 bird flu. It runs alongside surveillance, biosecurity, preparedness planning and conservation work, and the South Coast program is meant to show how vaccination can support wildlife conservation in future outbreaks.

Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said the public plays "a critical role" in that surveillance, because every report of sick or dead wild birds helps build a picture of animal health across the state. People who find sick or dead wildlife are asked not to touch it and to report it through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.