30/07/2026
🚨 H5 bird flu is now in Victoria 🚨 Here's what it means and what you can do to protect wildlife ...
WHAT IS IT?
H5 bird flu is highly infectious within wild, farmed and pet birds, and it can be transmitted to mammals – with marine mammals like elephant seals and scavengers like Quolls and Tasmanian Devils at greatest risk.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-30/victoria-bird-flu-h5n1-detection/106839886
H5 bird flu has killed millions of wild birds around the world and this new variant has just been detected in Victoria. It could impact whole populations of native bird species like black swans, which are highly susceptible, and early detection is vital.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ...
If you notice any unusual illness or death in wild birds - and other wildlife – DON'T touch the animal and immediately report it through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Things to look out for in wild birds:
👀 Birds that can’t stand, walk, or fly properly
đź‘€ Droopy or puffed-up appearance
đź‘€ Breathing problems (panting or sneezing)
đź‘€ Unusual head or neck posture
👀 Sudden bird deaths – particularly in large numbers
We also need immediate action to protect native birds and their habitat, so we’re calling on the Victorian government to:
👉Cancel current and future duck and quail hunting seasons
👉 Restore funding that has been cut to key government agencies and departments, like the Office of the Conservation Regulator, Parks Victoria and the biosecurity teams at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).
👉 Halt habitat destruction like the controversial Nyah Vinifera wetland engineering project set to clear ancient redgums on the banks of the Murray River near Swan Hill.
👉 Protect and restore critical bird habitats, like Western Port Bay, which is home to 65% of Victoria’s threatened bird species.
👉 Make sure rivers and wetlands that are critical for wild birds get the water they need – this means delivering prolonged environmental river flow events this spring and next, and protecting and supporting healthy wetlands and expediting purchase and protection of wetlands.
👉 Pause Authority to Control Wildlife permits, particularly for susceptible species such as Black Swans.
👉 Ramp up programs to tackle feral cats and foxes.
Restored wetlands, protected breeding sites and well-connected landscapes give birds the best possible chance to withstand disease outbreaks and recover when disaster strikes.
