HPAI is still not established in Australia, and currently poses little risk<\/a> to human health. But the H5N1 strain has already devastated<\/a> wildlife populations globally. <\/p>\n We\u2019re yet to see how this deadly virus will affect our country\u2019s wildlife. But an urgent concern is the potential for scavenger animals to spread H5N1 further by eating infected carcasses<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read more: The role of scavengers<\/p>\n The term carcass, which refers to the body of a dead animal, may make you queasy. But carcasses are a natural and vital<\/a> part of our ecosystems.<\/p>\n They provide food for scavengers, who in turn ensure our landscapes aren\u2019t littered with dead animal material. Vultures<\/a> are the most well-known example.<\/p>\n But Australia has no vultures. Instead, our \u201cclean up crew\u201d is made up of a hodgepodge list of native and invasive species including dingoes<\/a>, Tasmanian devils<\/a>, red foxes<\/a>, feral pigs<\/a>, quolls<\/a>, raptors<\/a> such as kites and sea eagles, and corvids<\/a> such as crows and ravens.<\/p>\n We now know 48 species<\/a> of Australian vertebrate animals will, in certain conditions, feed on carcasses. But scavenging isn\u2019t limited to carnivores. In fact, research shows<\/a> almost all animals will scavenge if needed, including herbivores such as brushtail possums.<\/p>\n Brushtail possums scavenging on a kangaroo carcass. Infected carcasses are a risk<\/p>\n H5N1 in Australia poses a risk to any species that scavenges, or even touches, an infected carcass.<\/p>\n Raptors, corvids and gulls commonly scavenge along shorelines<\/a> and are most vulnerable to the virus. Mammals that forage along coastlines<\/a>, such as red foxes, may also be more at risk.<\/p>\n The H5N1 strain can survive<\/a> in infected carcasses for up to 30 days at 20\u00b0C, and 240 days at 4\u00b0C. This creates a wide window during which scavengers can be exposed to the virus.<\/p>\n A scavenger that eats a contaminated carcass may get sick. But they can also spread the virus by moving infected carcass material or infecting other animals through their bodily fluids. Scavengers may also die from the virus and contaminate any other scavengers that feed on their carcass<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s difficult to predict how H5N1 may spread through Australia\u2019s scavenger species, because we don\u2019t have any detailed research looking at which species actually eat dead birds. <\/p>\n However, international research<\/a> shows mammals can be infected after consuming infected bird carcasses. Scientists have also observed high rates of H5N1 infection and death in vultures in Europe<\/a> and the US<\/a>.<\/p>\n A group of kites scavenging for food. Scavenging may be seasonal<\/p>\n Whether scavengers actually feed on carcasses often depends on the season<\/a>. Research suggests<\/a> birds and mammals scavenge more in winter compared to summer. That\u2019s because there is typically less live prey available in the colder months. <\/p>\n This is concerning, given the H5N1 strain has arrived in the middle of the Australian winter. However, summer may slow the spread of the virus. One reason is scavenging insects<\/a> such as flies, ants and beetles can consume carcasses extremely quickly, sometimes even faster than mammals and birds. In doing so, they may reduce how many infected carcasses scavengers are exposed to.<\/p>\n Read more: So, what can we do?<\/p>\n There are several ways we can curb the spread of H5N1 through our scavenger species. <\/p>\n One is to immediately remove any infected carcasses, particularly from high-value conservation areas. We should also limit activities likely to cause the build-up of carcasses, such as recreational duck or quail hunting.<\/p>\n Where we can\u2019t get rid of carcasses, we must track scavenger activity. This is possible through carcass monitoring<\/a>, which can help identify which species are actually eating dead birds and whether they are native or introduced. We want to protect our native scavengers, while limiting the harm<\/a> introduced scavengers may do to our ecosystems.<\/p>\n
\n A suspected bird flu case has now been found in NSW. Here\u2019s what that means<\/a><\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/file-20260707-57-2050t3.jpg\")
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\n Author provided (no reuse)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/file-20260625-57-m9hfti.JPG\")
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\n Niraj Meisuria, Author provided (no reuse)<\/p>\n
\n Bird flu is here. Can we stop the spread?<\/a><\/p>\n