SYDNEY: A pathogenic strain of bird flu killed more than 13,000 elephant seal pups after infecting a breeding colony on a sub-Antarctic volcanic island, Australian scientists said Thursday. Researchers found the remote Heard and McDonald Islands littered with seal carcasses when they arrived on a research expedition in October 2025. Genetic testing confirmed the contagious H5 bird flu strain had killed seals, penguins and birds living on the rocky outcrop the first time it had been detected in one of Australia&#39;s external territories. Southern elephant seal pups were the worst hit by the outbreak, scientists from the Australian Antarctic Program said, with mortality in some seal &quot;harems&quot; as high as 97%. Ground and aerial surveys conducted in October 2025 and January 2026 counted 13,300 dead elephant seal pups. &quot;These observations of H5 bird flu at Heard Island and McDonald Island are the first detection in an Australian external territory and show the continued eastward movement of the virus,&quot; biologist Julie McInnes said. The researchers said the virus had likely been introduced in August 2025 by infected wildlife that travelled from the Crozet Islands, a sub-Antarctic archipelago about 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) to the northwest. The Heard and McDonald Islands uninhabited by humans unexpectedly hit the headlines when they were included on US President Donald Trump&#39;s list of international tariffs in April 2025. Lying 4,000 kms southwest of mainland Australia, the islands are fearsomely wild. Access is allowed only with permission from the Australian government.

This undated handout photo released by the Australian Antarctic Division on June 18, 2026, shows the Australian icebreaker RSV Nuyina at Heard Island. A pathogenic strain of bird flu killed more than 13,000 elephant seal pups after infecting a breeding co

Australasia

A deadly H5 bird flu outbreak on Australia’s remote Heard and McDonald Islands killed more than 13,000 southern elephant seal pups, marking the virus’s first detection in an Australian external territory.

Bird flu kills 13,000 seal pups on remote Australian island

Web Desk

AMSTERDAM: The Netherlands will cull around 71,000 chickens at a poultry farm in the northern part of the country following the detection of bird flu, the government said in a statement on Tuesday.&nbsp;This marks the first outbreak of bird flu in the Netherlands since March of this year.&nbsp;The government has so far not imposed a nationwide requirement to keep poultry indoors, stating that this outbreak does not warrant such a measure. However, an expert group on animal diseases will meet soon to assess the risk. In November 2024, the Netherlands culled around 23,000 chickens at an organic farm in Putten after an outbreak of avian influenza was detected. The move was aimed at containing the highly contagious virus and preventing its spread to other farms and wild birds.&nbsp;The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) acted swiftly, working closely with the affected farmer, while Minister of Agriculture Femke Wiersma confirmed that all necessary measures were in place. The outbreak serves as a reminder of the challenges the country faces amid the current resurgence of the virus. With input from wires.

Europe

This marks the first outbreak of bird flu in the Netherlands since March of this year.

Articles tagged with "bird flu"

Bird flu kills 13,000 seal pups on remote Australian island

Netherlands to cull 71,000 chickens after bird flu detection

Bird flu kills 13,000 seal pups on remote Australian island