Australia confirms H5N1 on Macquarie Island — The Express Tribune

Australia has confirmed the first case of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. The virus was detected in samples taken from a southern elephant seal and a kelp gull.

First H5 case on the island

Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson said official testing had confirmed the presence of the highly pathogenic strain. This is the first recorded H5 case on Macquarie Island, The Express Tribune reports.

Macquarie Island is located in the Southern Ocean approximately halfway between the Australian state of Tasmania and Antarctica. The territory is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is an important breeding ground for southern elephant seals.

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Risk to the elephant seal population

Southern elephant seals can weigh up to 3,600 kilograms and are particularly vulnerable to H5 influenza. According to the federal government, pup mortality in some cases exceeded 90%.

At the end of 2025, the virus was recorded in another Australian sub-Antarctic territory — Heard Island. According to local media, more than 13,000 seal pups died there from the infection. In August, Australia's environment ministry reported withdrawing personnel from the research station on Macquarie due to the psychosocial risk to expedition members in the event of an H5 outbreak. Expert assessments had projected significant mortality among elephant seals during the next breeding season.