On Sunday, the state\u2019s environment minister, Emily Bourke, said the sea lion was found dead at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island<\/a>, the third-largest single colony.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve seen quite a number of mammal cases, but the Australian sea lion is the rarest seal found in our Australian waters,\u201d Bourke said.<\/p>\n \u201c85% of the population is found here in South Australia. It\u2019s an endangered species.\u201d<\/p>\n She said the sea lion had been recovering from a shark attack, but that bird flu had caused its death.<\/p>\n Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe found that it was actually not the shark attack that killed the sea lion. It was the bird flu \u2026 we might find that this particular case was more susceptible because it was recovering.\u201d<\/p>\n The government said the sea lion had first been observed with the shark wound three months ago and had been monitored since that time. Tests had returned a strong positive result for H5 bird flu and the government said it was confident the shark wound had not caused its death. There had been no other known endangered sea lion deaths at Seal Bay, but the population was being closely monitored.<\/p>\n Bourke said there was \u201cno real\u201d mammal vaccine that \u201cyou could get off the shelf at the moment\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was used in cattle in the US and they did an experimental trial in Hawaii on their monk seals, which they have seen that has been successful,\u201d Bourke said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been working very closely with the federal government to highlight that we are willing and able to participate in a trial here in South Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n Seal Bay has an estimated 800 Australian sea lions.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a>Free newsletter | When needed<\/p>\n Sign up to Breaking News Australia<\/p>\n Get the most important news as it breaks<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Bourke said the population was already diminishing by 2% every year, even before the arrival of bird flu, which will have a \u201cdevastating impact\u201d on population levels if no vaccine can be administered.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789291574_551_2998.jpg\")
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