H5N1 avian flu is moving through Australian bird populations following large numbers of bird deaths recorded across affected areas. A little penguin on King Island has contracted the deadly pathogen. Suspected cases of the infection have recently surfaced at a South Australian visitor location.
Mass vaccination of little penguins has commenced in an effort to combat the outbreak. Authorities are examining what happens next when hundreds of animals perish from bird flu during an unfolding crisis. Teams are striving to manage the situation and protect native bird species.