Vets turn away wild birds as avian influenza detected in SA

Rescue organisations say they need clear guidelines as vets turn away wild birds Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 6:20am In short: Wildlife rescuers say they need help to better prepare for a potential bird flu outbreak as vets issue statements saying they can no longer take in sick or injured wild birds. The first case of H5N1 bird flu was detected in South Australia on Wednesday. What's next? PIRSA says a meeting is scheduled with the veterinary sector on Saturday and has continued to remind South Australians to avoid, record and report sick or dead birds and wildlife. A wildlife rescue organisation is calling for support to set up a facility that can treat and quarantine sick birds after South Australia detected its first case of H5N1 bird flu on Wednesday. It comes as several metropolitan and regional vets have posted on social media that their clinics will not be accepting wild birds. Mish Simpson is the founder and director of the Southern Koala and Echidna Rescue and operates a full-time wildlife veterinary centre. She says her organisation wants to be part of the solution but is at a "standstill". "We don't know what [role] PIRSA or the Department of Environment want us to play," she said. Ms Simpson says there needs to be clear guidelines for trained professionals to manage an outbreak in a controlled way if the avian influenza is to spread. "We're really hopeful that we can still continue to treat and assess birds because it's a welfare issue if we don't,"she said. She said the rescue's current singular building clinic was not conducive to managing and quarantining bird flu cases, and that the organisation would potentially need multiple transportable buildings to separate processes. "We need a separate building that we can put at the top of the property hundreds of metres away from our other animals where we can do the intake and screening of animals and quarantining. "We have the design for a triage centre … but that obviously takes a lot of money to build and is going to some time so the sooner we can get funds that will allow us to do that the better prepared we're going to be," she said. She warned there needed to be options for people who find sick or injured birds. "When there's nowhere for them to go then they end up in peoples' homes,"she said. "It's going to spread further, it's going to be a bigger problem if we don't have a proper plan in place." Ms Simpson said while she was happy for the government to take the lead role in dealing with potential mass casualties, there needed to be clear communication with wildlife rescuers. "Our day-to-day is taking in sick and injured wildlife and at any stage one of those animals could be infected and we want to make sure that we're helping to be part of the solution by making sure it doesn't spread and we're doing all those right things," she said. There are also concerns about how the bird flu might affect Australia's native wildlife. The disease has killed more than 13,000 southern elephant seal pups on Heard Island, and has impacted dozens of mammalian species across the world. "We haven't tested Australian wildlife and this is going to be the test and we don't want to be the people that find out that other animals can get it," Ms Simpson said. Meeting scheduled with vet sector The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) said it was aware of reports some veterinary clinic have indicated they will no longer accept sick wild birds. "This is in line with public advice not to touch sick or dead birds or wildlife," a PIRSA spokesperson said in a statement. PIRSA said it understood concerns raised by veterinary staff and was continuing to work closely with the sector. "A meeting is scheduled with key sector representatives on Saturday (27 June) to discuss H5 bird flu and to address any questions vets may have," the statement read. "Consistent national advice for veterinary clinics is also being developed and will be made available to the sector. "South Australians are reminded not to touch sick or dead birds or wildlife. Instead, take photos or a video, record your location and report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline 1800 675 888." Veterinarian precaution An associate professor in wildlife health at Adelaide University, Wayne Boardman, told 891 ABC Adelaide he believed it was only a matter of time before more cases were detected in SA. "We're going to be seeing many more cases I believe over the next week or two," Dr Boardman said. "The fact is that we've picked up some of these birds in areas where we're fortunate enough to walk along. "But there's going to be lots of areas where there's going to be birds that have maybe come from the south that we won't even get to see that might be sick, developing flu symptoms and then potentially spreading it to other birds, possibly even scavengers that might come along and eat those birds." Dr Boardman said his greatest concern was for South Australia's sea lion population. "There is evidence in the scientific literature, some of the fur seals and lions are slightly more susceptible than other mammals, and we've also got this concern that the virus might mutate as well. Threatened Species commissioner Fiona Fraser said it remained unknown how native Australian bird species may be impacted by the virus. "Australia has many endemic, that is unique birds and mammals which are only found in Australia," Dr Fraser said. "On the one hand we're not exactly sure how H5 bird flu might impact some of our birds and mammals, but based on the overseas experience we do expect there to be significant mortality events in nature if it is established here." Dr Fraser said she was especially worried about South Australia's threatened species. "Of particular concern in South Australia [is] the Australian Sea Lion, but also the long nose fur seal." She said Bar-tailed Godwits, fairy terns and hooded plovers were other threatened species that could be vulnerable.