Coastal Australia battles bird flu as frontline carers race to shield vulnerable wildlife

Three weeks after H5 bird flu appeared on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, communities report rising numbers of sick and dead birds, prompting wildlife carers to use PPE and tighten protocols while authorities collect reports and monitor transmission; a mass mortality event at Baudin Rocks highlights the crisis, with concern expanding to threatened species like fairy terns and marine mammals, and veterinarians warning that slowing the spread is essential as Victoria documents more dead terns—indicating a long, difficult path ahead for wildlife and those who care for them.