CANBERRA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in South Australia (SA) said on Thursday that over 1,000 birds have died in three separate suspected H5N1 avian influenza mass mortality events on islands off the state's coast.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas told the state parliament that the flocks of crested terns were found dead by surveillance teams on remote offshore islands on Wednesday.
He said that the deaths represent a significant escalation of bird flu in the state.
"The loss of more than 1,000 birds is deeply concerning, and the state government is treating these events with the utmost seriousness," Malinauskas said.
SA is the center of Australia's H5N1 outbreak, with 177 confirmed cases of H5 bird flu recorded as of Thursday, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
In addition to the mass mortality events, Malinauskas said on Thursday that authorities were particularly concerned about a suspected case involving a little penguin found on Kangaroo Island.
A survey conducted in October 2025 estimated there were 704 adult breeding little penguins on the island, up from 530 in 2024.
Malinauskas said that authorities would take every practical and appropriate action to protect the state's wildlife and are considering targeted vaccination of captive or managed populations of vulnerable native birds. ■
