Disturbing photo prompts warning about deadly threat: 'Very scary'
Misplaced panic around the H5N1 strain of avian influenza could lead to the release of an invasive species.
An alarming picture of a tree has sparked a warning that Australia could face a new invasive species threat. At first glance, its long branches appear to be covered in leaves, but after zooming in it becomes clear they’re actually birds.
The image, which was shared to Reddit, highlights the growing problem invasive Indian ringneck parrots are causing in London, where upwards of 50,000 individuals now compete with native species. One leading theory about how they entered the wild is that they were released by owners after panic spread about an emerging disease last century — psittacosis.
Now the Invasive Species Council is concerned the circumstances could be replicated in Australia if hysteria spreads about the high pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza. It’s swept the world killing millions of birds and mammals, and it’s predicted to arrive on our shores this summer.
The federal government has committed over $100 million to fight the virus, $10 million of which will be used to coordinate clear messaging about risks.
But the Council’s biosecurity analyst Lyall Grieve sees little information in the public arena, and he wants authorities to get on the front foot to ensure pet bird owners are informed. He believes the answer is a highly visible campaign across the country so they don't release their birds out of concern about getting infected themselves.
“We’ve just been through the Covid-19 pandemic. And so it can be very scary seeing reports of H5N1 in dairy cows and potentially infecting people overseas,” he told Yahoo News.
“We’ve seen how misinformation about these sorts of stories spreads on social media. It won't take much for people to panic and to release their pets into the wild, causing additional problems in our environment.”
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How would invasive parrots impact Australia?
The Department of Agriculture (DAFF) told Yahoo News it is working to “prepare and protect the nation” against the potential arrival of the virus.
“The work to date includes extensive consultation and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders including states and territories, industry, and health, animal and environmental groups,” it said in a statement.
But Grieve believes more needs to be done in terms of public messaging both from government and in the media. He notes that some vets have already begun refusing to treat birds even though the virus has not yet arrived.
Ringneck parrots have long posed an environmental threat to Australia. Queensland’s government warns they have a “high risk of pest establishment” if released into the wild. While Victoria advises they could out-compete native species, take over nesting hollows, and spread disease.
“This species breeds rapidly and can form enormous flocks which, if allowed to establish in Victoria, could have substantial impacts on economically important crops such as barley, sunflower, nuts, peaches and grapes,” Agriculture Victoria advises.
The other species the Council is concerned about is the Quaker parrot, which is legal to keep in some Australian states but banned across large parts of the United States including California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
Can birds be kept safe from H5N1?
While the risk to humans from H5N1 remains extremely low, there is no cure for birds and they are required to be euthanised if infected.
In Australia, it’s a notifiable disease that must be reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. To minimise the risk of infection, DAFF advises:
🚫 Don’t let wild birds mingle with pet birds, or access their feed and water containers
🧹 Keep aviaries and equipment clean
🧴 Wash your hands with soap before and after handling birds
More information about identifying the symptoms of H5N1 can be found on DAFF's website here.
“If people aren't educated, they don't understand what the risks are, and where to go to get advice, it’s easy for them to be scared by the risks of disease,” he told Yahoo News.
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