The Hon. Jackie Jarvis, Minister for Agriculture and Food, Media Release, 20 June 2026

The Cook Labor Government is responding to the confirmed detection overnight of H5 bird flu in a single wild seabird found in the remote Cape Le Grand area, east of Esperance.

Testing by CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) has now confirmed Australia’s first case of the highly infectious bird flu in a brown skua, a subantarctic species rarely found on the WA south coast.

The results are consistent with the strain of virus detected in the Southern Indian Ocean Sub-Antarctic Territories including Heard Island.

A sick giant petrel found in the area has also been confirmed positive for H5 avian influenza by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Diagnostic Laboratory Services. Further testing will be undertaken by ACDP to determine the strain.

Importantly, there have been no detections in poultry and there is no evidence of other mortalities currently.

Australia is well prepared to respond quickly to H5 bird flu to protect poultry production and reduce impacts on wildlife and communities.

WA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is leading the State response working in collaboration with Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and the Department of Health, with national coordination led by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Surveillance for H5 bird flu will be enhanced together with targeted engagement with the poultry industry, veterinarians and wildlife carers.

People should also take steps to keep pets away from wildlife, including preventing cats from roaming and keeping dogs on leads in wildlife areas.

• If you own, care for, or work with birds, you should prevent wild birds from mingling with your birds, and accessing their feed and water
• keep pens, aviaries, feeders and equipment clean
• wash hands thoroughly with soap before and after handling birds
• monitor birds for signs of disease or sudden deaths.

The community can assist by reporting any dead or sick birds or marine mammals to Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Further information about H5 bird flu is available at birdflu.gov.au.

Comment attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:

“We all have an important role in protecting our wildlife, poultry and other animals against H5 bird flu.

“Our poultry producers understand that on-farm biosecurity practices are crucial to protect the health of their flocks and are well prepared to minimise any impact on production.

“Anyone who sees sick or dead birds or marine mammals should not handle the animals but should take photos or a video and report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

“We are very grateful to the wildlife carer at Esperance who followed our biosecurity protocols to report the sick brown skua and facilitate the testing for H5 bird flu so we can respond quickly.

“Importantly this shows Western Australia’s preparedness measures, and our work with community and industry partners, has worked.”

Related story: H5 bird flu on sub-Antarctic Heard Island update: Collins, Watt