The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) has confirmed Bird flu has been detected in a bird at Acton Park.
It is the first case of recorded H5 bird flu in southern Tasmania, after cases recorded at Stanley, Wynyard, Triabunna, and on King Island.
NRE Tas, through Biosecurity Tasmania, is continuing surveillance and response activities.
Biosecurity Tasmania is encouraging the community to report sick or dead birds.
If you see a sick or dead bird
- Avoid touching the bird
- Record the location. If it is safe, take a photo
- Report it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888
Alternatively, sick or dead birds can be reported using Biosecurity Tasmania’s online forms for wild birds and domestic and pet birds.
Biosecurity Tasmania also advises to keep pets away from sick or dead wildlife. This includes keeping dogs on leads, and keeping cats contained.
Advice about feeding wild birds
Feeding wild birds might seem harmless but it can have unintended impacts on bird health, the environment, and the wider community.
Providing food and water to wild birds encourages more birds into one area, which could impact their safety.
It affects natural bird feeding behaviour but also means more duck poo and increased contact between birds. This can increase the risk and spread of disease.
It’s never a good idea to feed wildlife but with the added risk of the H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) in Tasmania it is especially important that we do not feed wild birds.
This includes any wild bird, such as ducks, geese, gulls, swans, and cockatoos.
Reducing opportunities for wild birds to gather and mix unnaturally with other birds will reduce the risk of disease spreading in healthy populations. and support healthy bird populations.
You can help us support healthy bird populations by:
- not feeding wild birds
- not leaving water out for wild birds, including ducks
- keeping pet ducks, chickens, and other domestic poultry safely contained to prevent contact with wildlife
- keeping all food and water for pet birds away from wild birds.
Public health advice about bird flu can be found at Department of Health.