3-year-old boy in Cambodia contracts H5N1 bird flu
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Scientists have confirmed the spread of bird flu in Antarctica which has caused significant mortalities of wild birds and mammals on a global scale
Experts warn H5N1 bird flu strain ‘likely’ to arrive in Australia in spring and could put wild birds such as little penguins at risk
/ By James Tugwell
Posted Yesterday at 4:45pm, updated 23h ago23 hours ago
abc.net.au/news/h5n1-birdflu-strain-threat-australian-wildlife-barunguba-penguin/104050166Copy link
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In short:
The H5N1 bird flu variant — different to the H7 affecting eggs — has wreaked havoc on native wildlife on every other continent on Earth.
Ecologists say the virus could arrive in Australia with the spring migration of birds.
What’s next?
Experts and advocates say awareness and preparedness is key to preventing the spread of the virus.
As authorities work to restrict the spread of the deadly H7 strain of bird flu affecting chickens and eggs across Australia, ecologists and advocates warn a different strain of the virus could lead to an environmental disaster in some wild birds.
The H5N1 avian influenza has caused mass mortality events in wildlife on every other continent on Earth, particularly among birds and animals that eat infected birds.
As the yearly migration of birds to Australia in spring approaches, experts say more communication and planning is needed, with unique species most at risk.
Federation University ecologist Meagan Dewar has tracked the spread of H5N1 throughout Antarctica since February and witnessed mass casualties among many species including Adélie penguins and southern elephant seals.
“Unfortunately our wildlife is integrated and interconnected so [remote ecosystems] aren’t as safe as we think,” she said.
But Dr Dewar said it would be migrating birds from Asia that would “most likely” bring H5N1 to Australia in spring.
“The virus is coming closer, and it is on our doorstep,” she said.
Global mass mortalities
More than 650,000 seabirds are known to have died from H5N1 in South America since 2022, Dr Dewar said.
Animals that prey on dead infected birds also contract the virus. It killed 95 per cent of southern elephant seal pups in Argentina in 2023.
It has killed more than 30,000 South American sea lions. Australia’s population is only 12,000.
Dr Dewar said Australia’s unique ecosystems with small animal populations were most at risk of collateral damage.
“If it gets into our highly endangered or critically endangered bird species that could have very severe consequences for them and their survival,” she said.
“We can get alterations in our ecosystems because we are losing large proportions of animals and birds.”
Dr Dewar said her greatest concern was animals like threatened sea lions or vulnerable little penguin colonies with “small population numbers that really can’t afford to be hit by a large-scale virus”.
Fears for unique ecosystems
On the NSW south coast, Barunguba Montague Island (Barunguba) is culturally significant for the Yuin people and an ecological epicentre for almost 100 bird species.
It is the northernmost breeding colony for Australian fur seals, long nose fur seals and sea lions and is home to NSW’s largest little penguin colony during breeding season.
According to a study published in the journal Genome Biology, the H5N1 virus could make the black swan, a culturally significant species to the Yuin people, locally extinct.
However, Dr Dewar said species such as seals, sea lions, seabirds and little penguins could also be at threat if susceptible to the virus.
Narooma-based seal-diving and tourism operator Francois Van Zyl said the effects of the virus on the island would be horrific.
“The seals play a big part in our small-town community,” Mr Van Zyl said.
“Yes it will have catastrophic financial issues on small coastal towns, however I think the larger concern is: ‘What’s going to happen to the wildlife?'”
Need for rapid response
While there are reports of mammal-to-mammal transmission in North American cattle and South American sea mammals, virus ecologist Michelle Wille said those were two context-specific cases and those strains were unlikely to threaten Australia.
“This is still very much an avian virus,” she said.
But like any virus, Dr Wille said managing the spread would reduce the risk of mammal-to-mammal variations occurring because there would be less chance of mutations developing.
“It’s important we focus on what’s happening in birds because that’s where everything jumps out of,” she said.
“The more dead birds there are in the landscape, the higher the likelihood that some mammal is going to be infected over and over until you get that right combination of the exactly right genetic make up and exactly the right mammal that allows for [mammal to mammal transmission].”
Protecting the home front
In the Netherlands and Belgium, collecting dead birds before predators can feed on them reduced mammal fatalities by 80 per cent.
It is one strategy in Phillip Island Nature Parks’ site-specific contingency plan for the virus. However not all similar ecosystems across the country have such a plan.
Invasive Species Council advocacy director Jack Gough wants the federal government to establish a national task force and help develop similar, localised strategies for ecosystems right across Australia.
“Right now, Australia is not prepared in terms of our wildlife if the deadly H5 strain turns up,” he said.
“If it turns up here, it will cause damage and that there are opportunities with isolated populations to make sure that we can respond quickly.”
Early detection critical
Biosecurity PhD candidate at UNSW Hayley Stone said the virus arriving in Australia was inevitable and early detection was critical to managing its spread.
“You want to catch it as quickly as possible,” she said.
“It needs to be on a federal level. There needs to be federal policy that everyone can follow.
“America didn’t realise they were having an outbreak until it had already hit poultry.”
She said there could be more testing under the National Avian Influenza Wild Bird surveillance program, which tests sick wild birds for diseases.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) declined an interview, but in a statement, said the department would coordinate a national approach in the event of a large outbreak.
In April 2024, DAFF and Wildlife Health Australia published guidelines helping wildlife managers to deal with high-risk bird flu virus, such as the H5N1 strain.
It includes prevention measures, and tips for creating a site-specific plan, which it says is the responsibility of individual jurisdictions.
The guidelines recommend dead birds be reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline (1800 675 888).
“There is no way to prevent new strains of avian influenza viruses — including this H5 strain — entering Australia through migratory birds,” a department spokesperson said in a statement.
Mr Gough said part of the solution was improving local awareness that dead birds washing up on a beach in Tasmania or Far North Queensland, for example, was a sign the virus had arrived.
He said the federal government had more to do in bringing people together and creating localised plans to manage the virus.
“That involves tourism operators, local fishers – people who are out seeing these environments – that they know what bird flu is, that they’re checking for it and that if they see any signs of it, they’re able to really quickly notify the authorities and get on top of it,” he said.
“Bring wildlife carers, zoos, veterinarians, tourism operators, fishers — everyone — together. Make sure that everyone is aware, knows what to look for if this turns up and that we can respond quickly.”
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A Salt Lake City resident who loves harvesting her own food
https://wildlife.utah.gov/profiles/lindsey-browne-davis.html
Tell us about yourself: Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I’m an outdoorswoman based in Salt Lake City, but I’m originally from Colorado. Experiencing nature connection through food and wildlands is my passion, whether that is gardening, foraging, hunting or fishing. I’m a passionate steward for ecosystem health, wildlands and wildlife. I work as the Director of Conservation and Advocacy at SITKA Gear, and currently serve on the board of directors for the Outdoor Alliance and The Conservation Alliance. I am a founding board member of the Utah Wildlife Federation, and I have also enjoyed volunteering as a citizen scientist for the Wasatch Mammal Watch program. Visit @lindsey.browne.davis on Instagram to find out more about me.
Why do you hunt, and how did you get into it?
I was never “supposed” to be a hunter. I didn’t grow up exposed to it, nor did anyone in my family. But after years of getting my hands dirty peeling back the layers of nutrition, food systems and ecosystem health, I arrived at hunting’s doorstep. After farming and raising my own animals for meat, I eventually sat down to my first plate of wild game with a friend of mine here in Utah — and peppered him with enough questions that he invited me to join a hunt.
I enrolled in Utah’s Hunter Mentoring Program and went out with my friend to harvest my first ever mule deer in the Uinta Mountains. That experience changed my life. After the first few bites of my deer, I knew hunting was for me. I got hooked on the deep connection to places I experienced, and how my food tied me to a life lived more fully and richly connected to the wilderness. Eight years later, hunting is the backbone of my family’s food system and is how my family prioritizes our time off and community.
What is your favorite part of hunting?
My favorite part about hunting are the unique ecosystems it takes me to. My drive to hunt has me pursuing public lands all over the country. When I’m out, I get to experience these places with incredible depth because of the focus and presence that hunting requires. I get to see wild landscapes and animal behaviors and interactions I never would otherwise. It is exhilarating to engage in the circle of life and get to experience wild places as a part of the ecosystem. If I’m lucky, I relive those memories and the things I learned through the food it also provided me for the rest of the year.
What are some tips you would offer someone who is interested in learning to hunt?
Hunting is one of the most complex and beautiful things one can pursue. It will teach you so much more than just how to harvest an animal. Be patient with yourself, determined in your self-study and build your community around it. Do as much as you can to learn from other hunters. Most mentors are responsive to someone who is putting in the time and effort to learn, so focus on the above, and someone will likely recognize your determination and invite you into their hunting community. Lastly, never give away another hunter’s spots if they introduce you to them!
Photo credit: Jay Beyer (@jaybeyerimaging on Instagram)
Photo credit: Jay Beyer (@jaybeyerimaging on Instagram)
To learn more about hunting, visit the DWR website.
Woman’s Rescue of Tiny Bird From Mouse Sticky Trap Proves How Dangerous They Are
Texas bans canned mountain lion hunts, wants to learn more about species
- Steve Knight
- 22 hrs ago
- https://tylerpaper.com/news/making-tracks-texas-bans-canned-mountain-lion-hunts-wants-to-learn-more-about-species/article_aba0c9a6-3a72-11ef-acff-7f72df63e8b5.html
I do not know what it is about mountain lions, but like black bears there is something in us as Texans that makes us want to see one or at least know they are there.
And they are here. Nobody knows how many of the cats exist around the state, but they are firmly entrenched in the Trans Pecos and South Texas regions, and on occasion they make visits to other portions of the state. Four years ago, a 160-pound male was killed in Hunt County.
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Unlike black bears that are protected in Texas, mountain lions are fair game for hunters. It is unknown how many are killed annually by hunters or trappers, but apparently there is enough of a market that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recently took steps to shut down one unseemly side of it, canned hunts.
“We heard from our Law Enforcement folks, biologists and some landowners out west it was happening. It was putting trapping and hunting in a bad light,” explained Richard Heilbrun, TPWD Wildlife Diversity Program director.
Heilbrun said according to reports some canned hunt operators would tell hunters and trackers to stay prepared for when they were on a lion’s trail. After trapping or purchasing a lion that had been trapped, they would then shoot it in the paw turn it loose and call the hunters and trackers and tell them a hunt was on. Unknowingly, the hunter and trackers thought they were on a fair-chase hunt.
Even though mountain lions are not considered a game animal in Texas, the Parks and Wildlife Commission absolutely banned the practice of canned hunts for the cats by making it illegal to trap them with the intent to hunt.
It then put trapping lions more inline with other fur-bearer regulations by making it illegal to leave a lion in a trap for more than 36 hours. One exemption, done to please coyote trappers is that the 36-hour law does not apply if it is accidently snared in a vertical loop that does not exceed 10 inches.
Heilbrun said there has been little research in Texas on mountain lions over the years, so it is impossible to say what is the state’s population. The issue gets cloudier because a confirmed sighting in an area often brings out more unconfirmed anecdotal sightings that can make it seem like numbers are climbing in an area.
“They did a West Texas lion tracking study, but all but one did not survive the study, and the last one died a month later,” Heilbrun said, explaining one of the difficulties in researching the animals.
He added that South Texas also seems to have a high mortality rate, and that another study in the region looking at health showed potential genetic problems.
“It doesn’t say here is what is going on with lions, it shows potential problems,” Heilbrun said of the South Texas research.
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Mountain lions are solitary animals that may travel across 100 square miles in a year in search of food and mates. Heilbrun said that is one reason that makes them more difficult to track than bears.
“Look at the biology of lions. They move more than bears, they are more secretive then bears and have more offsprings. If they have problems, they are going to exist longer than bears,” Heilbrun said.
That makes bear studies cheaper and easier than mountain lions for agencies like TPWD.
“There are a lot more black bear studies than mountain lion studies. They are also easier to track or follow, because they are not legal to shoot,” Heilbrun explained.
When comparing the two, Heilbrun said not only is the biology different, but so is their family dynamics. Bears kick out their young when they have more. Many times, it is the young bears that have been kicked out that find their way into East Texas from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.
“Lions keep their cubs two years. Sometimes they kick off their young sooner. Dispersal changes with weather conditions. When there is a lot more drought is when we get more coming from Mexico,” Heilbrun said.
He added the survival of the dispersed offspring depends on what happens when they encounter people.
TPWD is currently working on a management plan for mountain lions in the state, starting with what research needs to be done, and how to do it. The goal is not to change the mountain lion’s status to a game species, but to learn about their numbers in Texas and if they do or do not need protection.
“The important thing we need to find out what is going on with population. If it is healthy and sustainable there is no need for regulation. Are South Texas and West Texas populations any different than any other, and are they self-sustainable?” Heilbrun said.
The biologist said what was clear from vetting processing for the canned hunt and trapping regulations is Texans want mountain lions.
“What I can say is that from all the people we talked to and heard from, everyone wants lions in Texas. Even the producers that have conflicts with lions want lions in Texas. They are native to Texas and a symbol of resilience and durability,” Heilbrun said.
Op-Ed: Vermont’s bear hunt exposed
https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/opinion-archive/hwde7a0d0wgfpmp2ez15jqhw3nqxbo
July 5, 2024 | By Lisa Jablow
It took a public records request sent to the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, but Vermonters now have a clearer picture of the 2023 bear hunt. The data that the department published in its report was incomplete, likely because the public would be unhappy to know that hunters killed cubs, yearling bears, and a large number of females. Most of the bears that are hunted each year are bears that never cause a problem with humans.
The 2023 hunt resulted in another record-high mortality rate: a total of 838 bears were killed, with 43% of them being female. This figure does not take into account: (1) bears that were killed by hunters but not reported; (2) bears killed by vehicle strikes; (3) bears killed “in defense of property;” (4) bears mortally injured but not recovered by the hunter; (5) first-year cubs that died because they could not survive after their mothers were hunted and killed.
Fish & Wildlife’s hunting data shows an alarming number of cubs who were shot and killed (approximately 47). I classified cubs as a bear who weighed 70 pounds or less (estimated to be up to a year old). The smallest bears who were hunted and killed were in the towns of Troy and Windsor and weighed just 34 pounds. The number of yearling bears — about 18 months old — that were hunted and killed is estimated to be 173 (I classified yearling bears to weigh 71-100 lbs.).
The data further shows that 364 female bears were killed. Even if only 10% of those females had two first-year cubs, that means that potentially more than 70 of those cubs also died. Cubs stay with their mothers for 17-18 months, and during this time they learn crucial life lessons such as where to den and what to eat. Unlike deer, bears have very low reproductive rates. Bear sows don’t become sexually mature until they reach about 3-4 years of age. Their ability to have litters is dependent on food supplies prior to denning.
Some might be surprised to know that Vermont’s regulations allow hunters to kill mother bears with cubs in sight. This disturbing fact became apparent after a Mad River Valley landowner’s trail camera captured a bear hunter killing a mother bear with two cubs in 2022. At least one of the cubs later died of starvation. The landowner subsequently submitted a petition to the Fish & Wildlife Board and Department to make this act illegal—tragically, his petition was denied.
Bear hounders, including those from out of state, killed 127 bears, including a 43-pound cub. In addition to the legal hunting season, June 1 marks the beginning of bear hound “training” season, making Vermont an outlier with the early start date. New Hampshire and Maine don’t start their training seasons until later in the summer. During this time, bear families are terrorized for miles by packs of hounds. This time of year bears are still trying to put on weight, and instead of being able to forage for food they are forced to waste fat reserves and hydration fleeing from hounds. During these pursuits sows are separated from their vulnerable cubs.
When bears come into conflict with humans, it directly correlates to areas where food attractants are not secured. Bears are lured into residential areas by bird feeders, unsecured trash and other items, and no amount of hunting and killing them will stop that.
It has been well documented in peer-reviewed scientific literature that the hunting of bears does not reduce human-bear conflicts. Researchers have found: “Human-bear conflict was not correlated with prior harvests, providing no evidence that larger harvests reduced subsequent human-bear conflicts. (Martyn E. Obbard, Eric J. Howe, Linda L. Wall, Brad Allison, Ron Black, Peter Davis, Linda Dix-Gibson, Michael Gatt, Michael N. Hall “Relationships among food availability, harvest, and human–bear conflict at landscape scales in Ontario, Canada,” (1 October 2014)).
Yet the bear hunt continues as a recreational activity for a subset of hunters, leaving in its wake vulnerable orphaned cubs and fractured bear families.
New Wyoming Game And Fish Director Announced On Friday, First Woman In Position
Gov. Mark Gordon announced Friday that Angi Bruce will be the new director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, She’s the first woman to head the agency and inherits a department that is financially stable but has plenty of challenges.
July 05, 20244 min read
As the first woman to direct the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Angi Bruce said she’ll make wildlife habitat a priority when she takes the helm in September.
A looming concern for Wyoming wildlife is “loss of habitat, both quality and quantity,” Bruce told Cowboy State Daily on Friday afternoon shortly after Gov. Mark Gordon announced her appointment.
“We’re seeing these effects on sage grouse, mule deer and other species,” Bruce said.
She said she’s looking forward to working with landowners, non-governmental conservation groups and others to continue Game and Fish habitat preservation and restoration projects across Wyoming.
Gordon picked Bruce from three internal finalists to replace Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik, who plans to retire in September.
The other finalists were Rick King, chief of the department’s Wildlife Division, and Craig Smith, deputy chief of the Wildlife Division.
Bruce is now the agency’s deputy director of external affairs.
Best And Worst Of Times
She’ll take over as director during a time that is both exciting and challenging for Game and Fish.
On one hand, the agency is about as financially stable as it’s ever been. Wyoming continues to be a premier destination for out-of-state hunters. They’re willing to pay big fees for nonresident hunting licenses, which generates a large portion of Game and Fish’s revenue.
On the other hand, Game and Fish has been harshly criticized from people and wildlife advocates from around the globe for what some claim was light punishment for a Daniel man who reportedly captured, tortured and killed a wolf in February.
According to court records, Cody Roberts, 42, forfeited a $250 bond for a Game and Fish citation for illegal possession of a live, warm-blooded animal. But many have clamored for much stiffer penalties for the wolf’s cruel treatment.
There’s also ongoing controversy over whether grizzly bears should be delisted from federal endangered species protection and hunted in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.
There also are squabbles over hunter access, even as many of Wyoming’s elk herds have ballooned to far above their objective population.
Hunters claim that landowners won’t give them enough access to shoot more of the elk, while landowners say they don’t want to be pressured into just throwing their gates wide open.
Regarding the elk quandary, Bruce said she’s familiar with that sort of situation. She previously worked in wildlife management in Iowa and saw it happen there with whitetail deer.
Some plots of land became “essentially refuges” for the exploding deer population and hunters couldn’t get to them, she said.
Like whitetail, elk “are a species that can become very adaptable to human disturbances to the environment,” she said.
“They’re two very different species, but the issues are similar,” she said.
Regarding the controversies, Bruce said she’s confident that Game and Fish can continue to take a balanced approach and stay on course with its mission to conserve wildlife and serve the public.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that we never shy away from those difficult issues,” she said.
First Woman Director
Bruce has been in her current position with Game and Fish since 2019, and worked with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for 17 years before that.
She said it’s meaningful to be selected as the first woman to lead Wyoming Game and Fish.
“I’m thrilled to represent the first female director for the department. That’s exciting. This is a very male-dominated field, it always has has been,” she said.
However, she added that her appointment in no way detracts from the excellent record of the men who previously directed Game and Fish and got the agency to where it is today.
Bruce added that she’s “honored” to set an example and be an inspiration for women and girls who are interested in careers in natural resource and wildlife management.
The Right One For The Job
Selecting from the three finalists was challenging, Gordon said in a statement released by his office.
“The Game and Fish Commission forwarded three exceptionally well-qualified candidates reflecting Wyoming’s commitment to wildlife and our natural resource heritage,” Gordon said.
“In her role as deputy director, Angi has demonstrated the department’s dedication to protecting our state’s leadership role in science and policy on wildlife issues large and small,” he added.
