Community Notice: H5 Bird Flu

Like many Australians who care deeply about our native wildlife, Aussie Ark is saddened to learn that H5 bird flu has now been detected in Australia.

This is a serious development for wildlife, conservation, poultry and biosecurity across the country. While there have been no detections in NSW to date, and no detections within Aussie Ark or our managed wildlife populations, we are taking this matter seriously.

Aussie Ark has a response plan in place, aligned with government recommendations, to help protect our animals, staff, facilities and conservation programs. We will continue to follow advice from government biosecurity authorities and monitor the situation closely.

The community can help by knowing what to do if they see sick or dead birds or other wildlife.

If you find sick or dead birds or animals:

• Do not touch them.
• Do not attempt to rescue, move or collect them.
• Keep children and pets away.
• Record what you see, including the location, number of animals affected and, if safe, take photos or video from a distance.
• Report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Early reporting is important and helps authorities respond quickly.

We know this news is upsetting for many people who love and care for Australia’s wildlife. Aussie Ark will continue to do everything we can to protect the species in our care and support national biosecurity efforts.