• By Jarrod Whittaker
• ABC Gippsland
• Topic:Avian Influenza
• Authorities confirm fox death from bird flu in Victoria, suspected case in dolphin – ABC News

Posted Thu at 10:56pmThursday at 10:56pm

In short:

Victorian authorities have confirmed the death of a fox from H5 bird flu at Torquay, south-west of Melbourne.

The virus is also suspected to have killed a dolphin at Lorne.

What’s next?

Victorian authorities plan to prioritise threatened species in captivity for vaccination.

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H5 bird flu has been detected in a fox in Victoria’s south-west, in the state’s first recorded case in mammals, authorities say.

Authorities also suspect a dolphin found dead at Lorne died of the virus.

Acting chief veterinary officer Cameron Gunn said the infected fox was found dead on Victoria’s Surf Coast.

“We have now confirmed H5 bird flu in a red fox recently found at Torquay collected through our ongoing surveillance and monitoring effort,” Dr Gunn said.

But authorities are not concerned about foxes spreading the disease.

“Wild foxes and other scavenging pests have not generally been shown to spread the actual virus when they become infected,” Dr Gunn said.

The greater risk was of foxes moving infected carcasses around, he said.

Victoria has recorded 212 positive cases in birds from a total of 892 investigations conducted since June 20.

Victorian authorities have detected H5 bird flu in numerous species, including greater crested terns, magpies and little penguins.

A little penguin on Phillip Island died from the virus last month and the state is in the process of vaccinating the colony.

Breeding season risk

The discovery of the dead dolphin at Lorne comes a week after the death of a dolphin on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula from H5 bird flu.

Victorian chief biodiversity officer James Todd said detections in seals and dolphins were not unexpected, and the virus was expected to spread to new species and other parts of Victoria.

“Particularly as we head into the spring breeding season, where large numbers of birds typically flock and aggregate around, for example, coastal estuaries and inland waterways and wetlands,” Dr Todd said.

As a result, the government was focusing its surveillance on areas deemed high-risk, including the Mornington Peninsula, Port Phillip Bay, Western Port Bay and the Gippsland Lakes.

Vaccinations results

A dead bird found on Sydney’s northern beaches last week has been confirmed as the city’s first case of H5 bird flu, bringing NSW’s total to 20.

Wildlife advocacy group Birdlife Australia said it was concerned about the virus’s effect on endangered species.

Birdlife Australia senior public relations adviser Sean Dooley said the virus could spread “quite rapidly” and he was most concerned about it spreading to breeding colonies of endangered species.

NSW announced a vaccination program in August, and the Victorian government has vaccinated about 1,000 little penguins.

Dr Todd said the vaccinated penguins on Phillip Island and at St Kilda Pier had shown an immune response and no adverse impacts.

“Of course, we know that vaccination is not a silver bullet,” he said.

“It is a tool that can be used in targeted situations, mostly for captive populations and highly managed and well-studied wild populations like little penguins at Phillip Island and St Kilda.”

Threatened species held by Zoos Victoria and other wildlife centres would be prioritised for vaccination, he said.

But he warned Australia was still at the beginning of the spread of the virus and people should expect that wildlife would continue to suffer and die.

“Overseas experience shows that wildlife or impacted wildlife populations can recover from H5 [bird flu] and they can adapt and in some cases they can also build natural immunity,” Dr Todd said.

“But it’s also observed from overseas that the virus can continue to impact on populations even at a time when they might be starting to recover.”

• Published: Sep. 05, 2026, 10:56 a.m.

By 

• Ann Marie Barron | ABarron@siadvance.com
• Report: Net placed under a Bayonne bridge is trapping birds – silive.com

Officials in a New Jersey city set up a net to keep pigeons away from a bridge in an effort to address a nuisance for residents, but the solution is keeping some trapped inside, NBC News 4 New York is reporting.

The net under the bridge at Broadway and West Eighth Street in Bayonne has only been up for a few days, but it has already started to ruffle some feathers for residents, the report said.

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The net was supposed to help cut down the amount of bird droppings under bridges, which they describe as an ongoing public health concern, they told News 4. Residents agree there is a problem to solve.

Eileen Murphy, who frequently passes through the area, told the outlet that she has to cover her nose and mouth whenever she goes by. She says it’s because she has COPD and worries about what she’s breathing in.

“They just put (the nets) up, so we’ll see. But I’m still concerned about it,” said Murphy.

“It’s definitely a lot better. It’s disgusting, we’d have to walk in the street, it was terrible,” said resident Fred Gattuso.

But some questioned the city’s solution.

“It’s horrible what’s happening to these pigeons that are trapped up in there,” Gattuso said. “They could’ve done this a little better to be honest.”

“I mean, I understand what they’re doing or trying to do, but they should incorporate a way so the pigeons have a place to be,” another resident, David Finney, told News 4.

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“Since learning about the issue, the administration has been working to determine how the matter could be addressed as quickly and safely as possible,” a city official responded to News 4. “The city’s department of public works and the vendor have been actively engaged to remove the birds as expeditiously as possible. 48-hour checks transitioned to daily checks, with multiple releases being made.”

As of Friday, the city estimates there are only about five remaining birds stuck inside the netting and the plan is to trap and release them shortly, the city spokesperson said.

Officials are urging the public not to feed any of the trapped birds.