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Australia's 15 native duck species face new threat from deadly bird flu
Key takeaways
- Blue-winged shovellers are now a protected species.
- The H5N1 virus could potentially put further pressure on the 15 indigenous duck species already menaced by habitat degradation, urban sprawl and mistaken identity by hunters.
- Two migratory seabirds — a northern giant petrel and a brown skua — found near Esperance, Western Australia tested positive to the virus, effectively announcing H5N1's arrival on the Australian mainland.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Blue-winged shovellers are now a protected species. (Supplied: Peter Rowland, PRPW)
Link copied Share Share article Avian influenza represents an existential threat to Australia's native duck population, according to Birdlife Australia waterbird scientists.
The H5N1 virus could potentially put further pressure on the 15 indigenous duck species already menaced by habitat degradation, urban sprawl and mistaken identity by hunters.
Article preview — originally published by ABC Australia. Full story at the source.
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