Australia records first Australian sea lion death from H5 bird flu
South Australia has recorded the first death of an Australian sea lion caused by H5 bird flu. The animal was found dead at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island, the third-largest separate colony of this species. An estimated 800 Australian sea lions live at Seal Bay.
As The Guardian World reports, the Australian sea lion is listed as an endangered species and is the rarest seal species in Australian waters. Experts estimate the species' total population at about 12,000 individuals, although a more recent estimate puts the number remaining at fewer than 10,000. About 85% of the population lives in South Australia, with the rest in Western Australia.
Cause of death
South Australian Environment Minister Emily Bourke said that the sea lion had been recovering from a shark attack. However, she said bird flu was the cause of death. Bourke suggested that recovery from the injury may have made the animal more vulnerable to the virus.
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The state government said that no other known deaths of Australian sea lions have so far been identified at Seal Bay. At the same time, authorities continue to monitor the population's condition.
Possible vaccine trial
According to Bourke, there is currently no ready-made vaccine for mammals that could be used immediately. She noted that a vaccine has been used for cattle in the United States, while an experimental trial involving monk seals was conducted in Hawaii and, according to her, was successful. South Australian authorities are working with the federal government on possible participation in a trial.
Even before the emergence of H5 bird flu, the Australian sea lion population had been declining by about 2% annually. Charles Darwin University scientist John Woinarski had previously warned that the virus could spread rapidly among seals and sea lions in South Australia because their colonies are close to seabird breeding sites. H5 bird flu has already caused significant losses among pinnipeds in South America and subantarctic regions, including among pups.
