H5N1 bird flu could devastate Australia’s shrinking sea lion population

Scientists warn that the H5N1 bird flu detected in a dead long-nosed fur seal in South Australia could trigger substantial declines in Australia’s already small sea lion and seal populations, with about 12,000 sea lions remaining. The virus could spread quickly through breeding colonies and contaminate the environment, prompting monitoring for more mammal infections and consideration of vaccination for at‑risk species, as researchers note parallels with devastating outbreaks in seabirds and other pinnipeds elsewhere.