Canberra Online Chat Questions
Answers to your questions from the Online Chat are below. Note that not all presenters have responded yet.
Robert Leach - Integrating wildlife into emergency management.
Can the link be put up for the wildlife search and rescue training please.?
This will be released in the coming months, and a link will be shared directly with wildlife rescue/rehabilitation organisations across Australia to submit their rescuers for expressions of interest. There's be a very small vetting process to ensure the training is widely access by members of the public due to safety concners.
We'll do our best to spread the reach far and wide. I'm happy to share my email [email protected], and you're welcome to reach out with your organisation's name/contacts in the off chance you're missed!
Just like firefighters cover others, makes good sense to have other community groups to add support for disasters... get federal funding for carers & rescuers to travel !?
Agreed! This is something we're pushing our NSW government to employ. Most of the time when a disaster hits a community, we know that groups will be struggling to keep up with an influx of animals, let alone be able to spare time to head into the field. We're pushing to have teams travel from nearby / outer regions to support the affected communities. And if this is part of the response efforts, it absolutely should be funded by govt. Thank you for the comment, always happy to chat more on this - [email protected]
are there plans to check areas after government planned burns please?
There should be !
This will always depend on the local wildlife groups' capacity to lead. IFAW is a support organisation, we don't lead these.
If there's a desire for groups to go into the field after planned burns, we'd welcome groups to contact us to support them with personnel and expertise.
We have a strict policy that we don't self-deploy, uninvited.
In regards to the formal frameworks - in NSW at least, we're pushing our firefighters to integrate these wildlife emergency response teams into their hazard reduction frameworks. So far we've seen good progress in the fact that they have a wildlife technical advisor stood up for some of these burns who can brief the on-the-ground fireys for who to call if they do sight an injured animal during their burns. It really comes down to where the burn is, and which firey is rostered on for the planning/operation. Wildlife doesn't have huge traction YET, so it's currently up to a few champions within brigades to speak up. We're working hard to change that and make it more of a formal business-as-usual consideration! And this fire season will be busy for us because we'll be pushing heavily for this in their planned burns, now that we've got the momentum in the state. Hope that helps. And thank you for the question, always happy to chat more on this - [email protected].
Can the link be put up for the wildlife search and rescue training please.?
This will be released in the coming months, and a link will be shared directly with wildlife rescue/rehabilitation organisations across Australia to submit their rescuers for expressions of interest. There's be a very small vetting process to ensure the training is widely access by members of the public due to safety concners.
We'll do our best to spread the reach far and wide. I'm happy to share my email [email protected], and you're welcome to reach out with your organisation's name/contacts in the off chance you're missed!
Just like firefighters cover others, makes good sense to have other community groups to add support for disasters... get federal funding for carers & rescuers to travel !?
Agreed! This is something we're pushing our NSW government to employ. Most of the time when a disaster hits a community, we know that groups will be struggling to keep up with an influx of animals, let alone be able to spare time to head into the field. We're pushing to have teams travel from nearby / outer regions to support the affected communities. And if this is part of the response efforts, it absolutely should be funded by govt. Thank you for the comment, always happy to chat more on this - [email protected]
are there plans to check areas after government planned burns please?
There should be !
This will always depend on the local wildlife groups' capacity to lead. IFAW is a support organisation, we don't lead these.
If there's a desire for groups to go into the field after planned burns, we'd welcome groups to contact us to support them with personnel and expertise.
We have a strict policy that we don't self-deploy, uninvited.
In regards to the formal frameworks - in NSW at least, we're pushing our firefighters to integrate these wildlife emergency response teams into their hazard reduction frameworks. So far we've seen good progress in the fact that they have a wildlife technical advisor stood up for some of these burns who can brief the on-the-ground fireys for who to call if they do sight an injured animal during their burns. It really comes down to where the burn is, and which firey is rostered on for the planning/operation. Wildlife doesn't have huge traction YET, so it's currently up to a few champions within brigades to speak up. We're working hard to change that and make it more of a formal business-as-usual consideration! And this fire season will be busy for us because we'll be pushing heavily for this in their planned burns, now that we've got the momentum in the state. Hope that helps. And thank you for the question, always happy to chat more on this - [email protected].
Megan Johnston - Lorikeet Paralysis Syndrome (LPS)
what about the researcher that found spinal injuries in LPS as causation?
1. Trauma would be a consequence of LPS. Given the paralysis they initially start with, the weakened flight, inability to stand makes them susceptible to injury. Spinal injuries do not have all the symptoms of LPS and often present with clenched feet. Given the numbers admitted trauma itself is not considered a causation rather a consequence or addition.
could their water sources be contaminated???
2. Given the fact that it is only at this stage lorikeets presenting with this illness and in these numbers and not in multiple species who could also access the same water sources this is highly unlikely.
Flying foxes have also last summer presented with similar symptoms and if you consider their diet, very similar to lorikeets, water source seems less likely.
That is why better testing for botulism and more research is needed.
what about the researcher that found spinal injuries in LPS as causation?
1. Trauma would be a consequence of LPS. Given the paralysis they initially start with, the weakened flight, inability to stand makes them susceptible to injury. Spinal injuries do not have all the symptoms of LPS and often present with clenched feet. Given the numbers admitted trauma itself is not considered a causation rather a consequence or addition.
could their water sources be contaminated???
2. Given the fact that it is only at this stage lorikeets presenting with this illness and in these numbers and not in multiple species who could also access the same water sources this is highly unlikely.
Flying foxes have also last summer presented with similar symptoms and if you consider their diet, very similar to lorikeets, water source seems less likely.
That is why better testing for botulism and more research is needed.
Rebecca Millsteed - Human activity in the urban environment impacts habitat choice and survival of Tiliqua rugosa rugosa within the Perth Metropolitan Area.
How much do the lotek Pinpoint GPS devices cost?
Approx $1500 when last purchased in 2022.
What sot of things did they test for when they did a full health assessment. eg faecal testing. were there blood tests?
Health assessments conducted in the field included measurements of length, weight, tail thickness, visual examination for any signs of injury or disease, checked movement and behaviour. Our resources for this project did not allow us to conduct blood or faecal testing unfortunately. This could only be done if the bobtail was assessed as needing to be admitted for care.
Also what were they nebulising with? Was it F10?
Yes F10 for nebulising
How much do the lotek Pinpoint GPS devices cost?
Approx $1500 when last purchased in 2022.
What sot of things did they test for when they did a full health assessment. eg faecal testing. were there blood tests?
Health assessments conducted in the field included measurements of length, weight, tail thickness, visual examination for any signs of injury or disease, checked movement and behaviour. Our resources for this project did not allow us to conduct blood or faecal testing unfortunately. This could only be done if the bobtail was assessed as needing to be admitted for care.
Also what were they nebulising with? Was it F10?
Yes F10 for nebulising
Peggy Rismiller - Of Monotremes and Monitor lizards: Two climate change survivors.
are rosenbergs still considered ectotherms?
Yes, most if not all ectotherms have variable body temperatures and are considered heterothermic
are rosenbergs still considered ectotherms?
Yes, most if not all ectotherms have variable body temperatures and are considered heterothermic
Vicki Wilkinson and Rosie Stott - H5 bird flu prevention and preparedness using the Wildlife Health Australia risk mitigation toolbox for wildlife care providers.
How do WA organisations get assistance?
Information on H5 bird flu preparedness and response in WA, including:
Is picking up bodies effective in slowing spread. Has been shown to in some publications.
The effectiveness and feasibility of wildlife carcass removal in slowing the spread of H5 bird flu is likely to be highly dependent on the specific situation. Decisions should be based on risk assessments that consider situation-specific factors (e.g. the physical environment, species affected, population densities, risks of disturbance to further wildlife stress and/or dispersal, human health and safety, compliance with any legal orders in place, logistics and resources).
Decisions regarding carcass removal will be made by government authorities if H5 bird flu arrives in Australia.
Some publications that discuss these issues in further detail include:
Can you walk through some of the symptoms to look for please
This below information is taken from Wildlife Health Australia’s ‘High pathogenicity avian influenza and wildlife – advice for veterinarians and animal health professionals’ document (https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/HPAI_Advice_for_veterinarians_and_animal_health_professionals.pdf).
Infected live birds may show a wide range of clinical signs, including:
Infected wild mammals may show a wide range of clinical signs, including:
Are there plans to vaccinate very rare species e.g. swift parrots to ensure the survival of the species.
Information regarding vaccination is available via these links: Animal Health Committee Policy Decision 25-01: Use of avian influenza vaccines for the protection of rare, protected and valuable avian species and accompanying factsheet.
How do WA organisations get assistance?
Information on H5 bird flu preparedness and response in WA, including:
- Information for wildlife carers from DPRID (https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-primary-industries-and-regional-development/information-wildlife-carers) and DBCA (https://www.dbca.wa.gov.au/management/threat-management/h5-avian-influenza-bird-flu)
- How to report signs of avian influenza in WA (https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-primary-industries-and-regional-development/avian-influenza-signs-and-how-report)
- the Wildlife Health Australia, H5 bird flu resource centre (https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Resource-Centre/H5-bird-flu), including the Risk Mitigation Toolbox for Wildlife Care Providers (https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/WHA_HPAI_Risk_mitigation_toolbox_WCP.pdf)
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Resources for H5 bird flu preparedness’ webpage (https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/avian-influenza/resources)
Is picking up bodies effective in slowing spread. Has been shown to in some publications.
The effectiveness and feasibility of wildlife carcass removal in slowing the spread of H5 bird flu is likely to be highly dependent on the specific situation. Decisions should be based on risk assessments that consider situation-specific factors (e.g. the physical environment, species affected, population densities, risks of disturbance to further wildlife stress and/or dispersal, human health and safety, compliance with any legal orders in place, logistics and resources).
Decisions regarding carcass removal will be made by government authorities if H5 bird flu arrives in Australia.
Some publications that discuss these issues in further detail include:
- Pearce-Higgins, J. W., & Pollock, C. J. (2025). Using expert elicitation to assess the likely effectiveness of conservation interventions during an unprecedented outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds. Bird Study, 72(1), 74–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2025.2491799
- Kuiken, T., Vanstreels, R. E. T., Banyard, A., Begeman, L., Breed, A. C., Dewar, M., Fijn, R., Serafini, P. P., Uhart, M., & Wille, M. (2025). Emergence, spread, and impact of high-pathogenicity avian influenza H5 in wild birds and mammals of South America and Antarctica. Conservation Biology, e70052. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70052
Can you walk through some of the symptoms to look for please
This below information is taken from Wildlife Health Australia’s ‘High pathogenicity avian influenza and wildlife – advice for veterinarians and animal health professionals’ document (https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/HPAI_Advice_for_veterinarians_and_animal_health_professionals.pdf).
Infected live birds may show a wide range of clinical signs, including:
- neurological signs (loss of coordination, paralysis, seizures, tremors, abnormal posture)
- respiratory signs (conjunctivitis, increased nasal secretions, swelling of the head, dyspnoea)
- gastrointestinal signs (diarrhoea)
- sudden death
Infected wild mammals may show a wide range of clinical signs, including:
- neurological signs (ataxia, paralysis, seizures and tremors)
- respiratory signs (increased nasal and oral secretions, dyspnoea, tachypnoea)
- sudden death
Are there plans to vaccinate very rare species e.g. swift parrots to ensure the survival of the species.
Information regarding vaccination is available via these links: Animal Health Committee Policy Decision 25-01: Use of avian influenza vaccines for the protection of rare, protected and valuable avian species and accompanying factsheet.
Yolandi Vermaak - Wombat Abundance: Perception vs. Reality in a Changing Climate
how did you get council on board to do these surveys?
Answer: I work closely with the Parks and Conseration Ranger teams across different depots and in turn, PCS also works with the company Wildlife Drones. When we need to do surveys, I engage with the relevant Ranger team to let them know we will be flying, and provide a map and date and time. The Wildlife Drone pilot lodges their flight plan and make sure they have the necessary approvals etc from their side and the rest is history :)
how did you get council on board to do these surveys?
Answer: I work closely with the Parks and Conseration Ranger teams across different depots and in turn, PCS also works with the company Wildlife Drones. When we need to do surveys, I engage with the relevant Ranger team to let them know we will be flying, and provide a map and date and time. The Wildlife Drone pilot lodges their flight plan and make sure they have the necessary approvals etc from their side and the rest is history :)
Joanne Connolly - Selected infectious diseases with neurological signs in rehabilitating marsupials
Is there a BCS chart available?
Some suggestions from JC:
Stephen Jackson (2003). Australian Mammals Biology and Captive Management. CSIRO Publishing.
[a newer version out 2025]
A summary of some other publications mentioning body condition scoring in macropods:
Morphometric measurements such as weight, size, circumferences and ratios from these values (Peig & Green 2009).
Species-specific visual scoring systems have been developed for zoo animals & wildlife (affected by fur, GIT fill, hydration).
Kidney fat index and percent marrow fat (Caughley & Sinclair 1994).
Bioelectrical impedance analysis (Barthelmess et al. 2006; Pitt et al. 2006)
Moss & Croft (1999). Body condition of the red kangaroo in arid Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 24: 97–109
A commonly used measure of body condition in live marsupials is the circumference of the base of the tail where fat is deposited. This measure was difficult to take accurately and correlated poorly with leg length and so the relationship between body mass and limb length was used to estimate body condition.
Limb length changes relatively slowly as animals grow; however, body mass shows short-term fluctuations with changes in environmental conditions (Edwards et al. 1996). Edwards (1990) used a stepwise multiple linear regression model to show that of the limb measurements taken, leg length was the best predictor of body mass in both male and female red kangaroos. This was confirmed in our study.
we had a Koala years ago with a massive leg crypto lesion where we usually see nasal infection leading to neuro
Yes in koalas you start as subclinical colonisation from Cryptococcus in the Eucalyts or other trees, then if dose is high or immunity is low or wounds etc the yeast can cause disease. Koalas may actually amplify the yeast in the environment so that other animals nearby could pick up a larger dose e.g. multiple animal species in one enclosure in a zoo or nearby in a rehab facility.
One of my koalas from last year tested positive for cryptococus, he's at port Mac being treated
Yes, cryptococcosis in animals can be treated with systemic antifungals, but might take time and expense, watch LCAT titres to follow progress and blood analytes to check general health of the koala.
You have to have a cat for toxo? If there is an area with no cats and never had cats, does that mean there would be no toxo???
Felids (cats, large & small, domestic and feral) are the definitive host for Toxoplasma gondii protozoa which is found worldwide and can infect all mammals (including marine mammals) and increasingly other animal groups. The oocysts in the cat faeces sporulate (become infectious) outside the cat within 1–5 days, depending on aeration and temperature, and remain viable in the environment for several months to a year. Animals get infected through ingestion of oocyst-infected soil, food etc or carnivore animals eating Toxoplasma cysts in meat. Flushable kitty litter was found to be the cause of sea otter toxoplasmosis in USA. Dispose of cat faeces everyday, wash vegetables from gardens where cats may have been, freeze meat to kill Toxoplasma cysts. Remember toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease (transmitted from animals to people).
does the pox virus always lead to tetnus??
No, the Clostridium tetani bacterial spores must be present in the environment, then a wound is the route of entry into the body tissues, with anaerobic conditions (e.g. necrosis) the spores germinate, produce a neurotoxin and then cause the disease tetanus if the animal is not already immune (e.g. vaccinated as current best practice guidelines, as this is an off-label treatment).
See:
" Investigating the efficacy of '5 in 1' vaccines in macropods" Claire Phillips, Damien Higgins, Cathy Herbert, Derek Spielman. AWRC 2012.
Vogelnest, L., Woods, R. 2008. Medicine of Australian Mammals, CSIRO Publishing "
Here are the references from my talk:
Cryptococcosis
Krockenberger M et al (2019). Cryptococcosis. In: Current Therapy in Medicine of Australian Mammals. CSIRO Publishing.
Schmertmann L et al (2017). Cryptococcosis in the koala: pathogenesis & treatment , two atypical cases. Medical Mycology 2017, 0, 1–10.
Bermann CDS et al (2023). Cryptococcosis in domestic and wild animals: A review. Medical Mycology 61(2):myad016.
Thurber MI et al (2017). Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii in a red kangaroo. Journal of Zoo & Wildlife Medicine 48(3): 929–932.
Toxoplasmosis
WHA Fact sheet: Toxoplasmosis of Australian mammals | October 2019 (v 2.2).
Canfield P et al. (1990). Lesions of toxoplasmosis in Australian marsupials. J. Comp. Pathol 103:159–167
Baggish AL & Hill DR. (2002). Antiparasitic agent atovaquone. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother 46:1163–1173.
Lynch MJ et al. (1993). An evaluation of a live Toxoplasma gondii vaccine in Tammar wallabies. Australian Veterinary Journal 70(9):352-353.
Portas TJ (2010). Toxoplasmosis in Macropodids: A Review. Journal of Zoo & Wildlife Medicine 41(1):1-6.
Shannon L et al (2015). Clinical pathological features toxoplasmosis in free-ranging common wombats ... Parasitology International 64 148–153.
Tetanus & Poxvirus
Popoff MR (2020). Tetanus in animals. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 32(2):184–191.
Vogelnest & Portas (2008). Macropods. In: Medicine of Australian Mammals. Eds Vogelnest & Woods.
Phillips et al (2012). Investigating the efficacy of '5 in 1' vaccines in macropods. Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators Conference 2012.
WHA Fact sheet (2019). Poxviruses in Australian mammals.
Chronic Phalaris Toxicity
Bacci et al (2024). Chronic phalaris toxicity in eastern grey kangaroos. Australian Veterinary Journal 92(12):504-508.
Chen T et al. (2024). Poor survival rate of eastern gray kangaroos affected by chronic phalaris toxicity. Journal Wildlife Diseases 60(4) : 903-911.
Chen T et al (2024). Chronic phalaris toxicity in macropods is widespread & peaks in July in Victoria, Australia. Aus Vet Journal 102(7):331–338.
Is there a BCS chart available?
Some suggestions from JC:
Stephen Jackson (2003). Australian Mammals Biology and Captive Management. CSIRO Publishing.
[a newer version out 2025]
A summary of some other publications mentioning body condition scoring in macropods:
Morphometric measurements such as weight, size, circumferences and ratios from these values (Peig & Green 2009).
Species-specific visual scoring systems have been developed for zoo animals & wildlife (affected by fur, GIT fill, hydration).
Kidney fat index and percent marrow fat (Caughley & Sinclair 1994).
Bioelectrical impedance analysis (Barthelmess et al. 2006; Pitt et al. 2006)
Moss & Croft (1999). Body condition of the red kangaroo in arid Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 24: 97–109
A commonly used measure of body condition in live marsupials is the circumference of the base of the tail where fat is deposited. This measure was difficult to take accurately and correlated poorly with leg length and so the relationship between body mass and limb length was used to estimate body condition.
Limb length changes relatively slowly as animals grow; however, body mass shows short-term fluctuations with changes in environmental conditions (Edwards et al. 1996). Edwards (1990) used a stepwise multiple linear regression model to show that of the limb measurements taken, leg length was the best predictor of body mass in both male and female red kangaroos. This was confirmed in our study.
we had a Koala years ago with a massive leg crypto lesion where we usually see nasal infection leading to neuro
Yes in koalas you start as subclinical colonisation from Cryptococcus in the Eucalyts or other trees, then if dose is high or immunity is low or wounds etc the yeast can cause disease. Koalas may actually amplify the yeast in the environment so that other animals nearby could pick up a larger dose e.g. multiple animal species in one enclosure in a zoo or nearby in a rehab facility.
One of my koalas from last year tested positive for cryptococus, he's at port Mac being treated
Yes, cryptococcosis in animals can be treated with systemic antifungals, but might take time and expense, watch LCAT titres to follow progress and blood analytes to check general health of the koala.
You have to have a cat for toxo? If there is an area with no cats and never had cats, does that mean there would be no toxo???
Felids (cats, large & small, domestic and feral) are the definitive host for Toxoplasma gondii protozoa which is found worldwide and can infect all mammals (including marine mammals) and increasingly other animal groups. The oocysts in the cat faeces sporulate (become infectious) outside the cat within 1–5 days, depending on aeration and temperature, and remain viable in the environment for several months to a year. Animals get infected through ingestion of oocyst-infected soil, food etc or carnivore animals eating Toxoplasma cysts in meat. Flushable kitty litter was found to be the cause of sea otter toxoplasmosis in USA. Dispose of cat faeces everyday, wash vegetables from gardens where cats may have been, freeze meat to kill Toxoplasma cysts. Remember toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease (transmitted from animals to people).
does the pox virus always lead to tetnus??
No, the Clostridium tetani bacterial spores must be present in the environment, then a wound is the route of entry into the body tissues, with anaerobic conditions (e.g. necrosis) the spores germinate, produce a neurotoxin and then cause the disease tetanus if the animal is not already immune (e.g. vaccinated as current best practice guidelines, as this is an off-label treatment).
See:
" Investigating the efficacy of '5 in 1' vaccines in macropods" Claire Phillips, Damien Higgins, Cathy Herbert, Derek Spielman. AWRC 2012.
Vogelnest, L., Woods, R. 2008. Medicine of Australian Mammals, CSIRO Publishing "
Here are the references from my talk:
Cryptococcosis
Krockenberger M et al (2019). Cryptococcosis. In: Current Therapy in Medicine of Australian Mammals. CSIRO Publishing.
Schmertmann L et al (2017). Cryptococcosis in the koala: pathogenesis & treatment , two atypical cases. Medical Mycology 2017, 0, 1–10.
Bermann CDS et al (2023). Cryptococcosis in domestic and wild animals: A review. Medical Mycology 61(2):myad016.
Thurber MI et al (2017). Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii in a red kangaroo. Journal of Zoo & Wildlife Medicine 48(3): 929–932.
Toxoplasmosis
WHA Fact sheet: Toxoplasmosis of Australian mammals | October 2019 (v 2.2).
Canfield P et al. (1990). Lesions of toxoplasmosis in Australian marsupials. J. Comp. Pathol 103:159–167
Baggish AL & Hill DR. (2002). Antiparasitic agent atovaquone. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother 46:1163–1173.
Lynch MJ et al. (1993). An evaluation of a live Toxoplasma gondii vaccine in Tammar wallabies. Australian Veterinary Journal 70(9):352-353.
Portas TJ (2010). Toxoplasmosis in Macropodids: A Review. Journal of Zoo & Wildlife Medicine 41(1):1-6.
Shannon L et al (2015). Clinical pathological features toxoplasmosis in free-ranging common wombats ... Parasitology International 64 148–153.
Tetanus & Poxvirus
Popoff MR (2020). Tetanus in animals. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 32(2):184–191.
Vogelnest & Portas (2008). Macropods. In: Medicine of Australian Mammals. Eds Vogelnest & Woods.
Phillips et al (2012). Investigating the efficacy of '5 in 1' vaccines in macropods. Australian Wildlife Rehabilitators Conference 2012.
WHA Fact sheet (2019). Poxviruses in Australian mammals.
Chronic Phalaris Toxicity
Bacci et al (2024). Chronic phalaris toxicity in eastern grey kangaroos. Australian Veterinary Journal 92(12):504-508.
Chen T et al. (2024). Poor survival rate of eastern gray kangaroos affected by chronic phalaris toxicity. Journal Wildlife Diseases 60(4) : 903-911.
Chen T et al (2024). Chronic phalaris toxicity in macropods is widespread & peaks in July in Victoria, Australia. Aus Vet Journal 102(7):331–338.
Peggy McDonald - The Gang-gang
How do WA organisations get assistance?
Information on H5 bird flu preparedness and response in WA, including:
Is picking up bodies effective in slowing spread. Has been shown to in some publications.
The effectiveness and feasibility of wildlife carcass removal in slowing the spread of H5 bird flu is likely to be highly dependent on the specific situation. Decisions should be based on risk assessments that consider situation-specific factors (e.g. the physical environment, species affected, population densities, risks of disturbance to further wildlife stress and/or dispersal, human health and safety, compliance with any legal orders in place, logistics and resources).
Decisions regarding carcass removal will be made by government authorities if H5 bird flu arrives in Australia.
Some publications that discuss these issues in further detail include:
Can you walk through some of the symptoms to look for please
This below information is taken from Wildlife Health Australia’s ‘High pathogenicity avian influenza and wildlife – advice for veterinarians and animal health professionals’ document (https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/HPAI_Advice_for_veterinarians_and_animal_health_professionals.pdf).
Infected live birds may show a wide range of clinical signs, including:
Infected wild mammals may show a wide range of clinical signs, including:
Are there plans to vaccinate very rare species e.g. swift parrots to ensure the survival of the species.
Information regarding vaccination is available via these links: Animal Health Committee Policy Decision 25-01: Use of avian influenza vaccines for the protection of rare, protected and valuable avian species and accompanying factsheet.
How do WA organisations get assistance?
Information on H5 bird flu preparedness and response in WA, including:
- Information for wildlife carers from DPRID (https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-primary-industries-and-regional-development/information-wildlife-carers) and DBCA (https://www.dbca.wa.gov.au/management/threat-management/h5-avian-influenza-bird-flu)
- How to report signs of avian influenza in WA (https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-primary-industries-and-regional-development/avian-influenza-signs-and-how-report)
- the Wildlife Health Australia, H5 bird flu resource centre (https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Resource-Centre/H5-bird-flu), including the Risk Mitigation Toolbox for Wildlife Care Providers (https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/WHA_HPAI_Risk_mitigation_toolbox_WCP.pdf)
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Resources for H5 bird flu preparedness’ webpage (https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/avian-influenza/resources)
Is picking up bodies effective in slowing spread. Has been shown to in some publications.
The effectiveness and feasibility of wildlife carcass removal in slowing the spread of H5 bird flu is likely to be highly dependent on the specific situation. Decisions should be based on risk assessments that consider situation-specific factors (e.g. the physical environment, species affected, population densities, risks of disturbance to further wildlife stress and/or dispersal, human health and safety, compliance with any legal orders in place, logistics and resources).
Decisions regarding carcass removal will be made by government authorities if H5 bird flu arrives in Australia.
Some publications that discuss these issues in further detail include:
- Pearce-Higgins, J. W., & Pollock, C. J. (2025). Using expert elicitation to assess the likely effectiveness of conservation interventions during an unprecedented outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds. Bird Study, 72(1), 74–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2025.2491799
- Kuiken, T., Vanstreels, R. E. T., Banyard, A., Begeman, L., Breed, A. C., Dewar, M., Fijn, R., Serafini, P. P., Uhart, M., & Wille, M. (2025). Emergence, spread, and impact of high-pathogenicity avian influenza H5 in wild birds and mammals of South America and Antarctica. Conservation Biology, e70052. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70052
Can you walk through some of the symptoms to look for please
This below information is taken from Wildlife Health Australia’s ‘High pathogenicity avian influenza and wildlife – advice for veterinarians and animal health professionals’ document (https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/HPAI_Advice_for_veterinarians_and_animal_health_professionals.pdf).
Infected live birds may show a wide range of clinical signs, including:
- neurological signs (loss of coordination, paralysis, seizures, tremors, abnormal posture)
- respiratory signs (conjunctivitis, increased nasal secretions, swelling of the head, dyspnoea)
- gastrointestinal signs (diarrhoea)
- sudden death
Infected wild mammals may show a wide range of clinical signs, including:
- neurological signs (ataxia, paralysis, seizures and tremors)
- respiratory signs (increased nasal and oral secretions, dyspnoea, tachypnoea)
- sudden death
Are there plans to vaccinate very rare species e.g. swift parrots to ensure the survival of the species.
Information regarding vaccination is available via these links: Animal Health Committee Policy Decision 25-01: Use of avian influenza vaccines for the protection of rare, protected and valuable avian species and accompanying factsheet.
