Sombre find at Aussie beach reignites concern over 'unprecedented threat'

The discovery has highlighted the ongoing threat that Australia faces from birds making their way from Antarctica.

The penguin lying on the sand in Sorrento, Victoria.
A lone penguin was found dead on a beach in Sorrento, Victoria this week. Source: Facebook

The sad sight of a penguin pictured lying on an Aussie beach over the weekend has done little to ease nerves over the imminent threat of avian influenza — a strain of bird flu that poses "catastrophic" impacts on Aussie wildlife.

The sombre image was snapped on a sandy embankment in Sorrento, Victoria and with "no signs of trauma" prompting one expert to tell Yahoo News Aussies should stay clear of deceased birds and alert authorities of any sightings as the government and wildlife groups are readying themselves for the disease that has "ravaged" wildlife in other parts of the world.

It's not "uncommon" to spot penguins washed up on Aussie beaches after they have lost their way or got into some kind of difficulty, Lisa Hood from Australian Seabird and Turtle Rescue told Yahoo News.

ADVERTISEMENT

During penguin nesting season or when they undergo what's known as a catastrophic moult — which Hood explains is when they "literally let go of all of their 10,000 odd feathers in a three-week to five-week process" — the birds can be left "extremely vulnerable" on Aussie shores.

"They can get stuck on the beach... pretty much from December through to March it's not uncommon to see penguins on the beach," she said, pointing to the fact that this doesn't offer much clarity to the mysterious incident in Sorrento.

The penguin lies motionless on the sand from two different angles.
It's not "uncommon" to spot penguins washed up on Aussie beaches and in this instance it's a mystery what happened to the bird. Source: Facebook

Rough weather can also from time to time be an issue for penguins, however, the birds are "very well adapted" to rough swell as they spent most of their life in the ocean as pelagic species. "If there's really intense, rough swell... they can get beaten around trying to get back to their colony," Hood explained.

While the deadly (HPAI) H5N1 strain has not yet arrived in Australia, New Zealand or the Pacific, it was recently detected in Antarctica and is causing mass mortalities in poultry species overseas.

ADVERTISEMENT

One Aussie who saw the photo said "we’re literally on tenterhooks waiting for avian influenza to arrive" in Australia and encouraged the poster to report the sighting.

Last Friday a meeting of Australian and New Zealand Environment Ministers was held in preparation of the "unprecedented threat", with Australia announcing it will invest an additional $95 million to combat the the disease.

"Obviously the potential for the disease is through those migratory birds but, you know, seals and dairy cows get it too," Hood explained. "Wildlife carers and wildlife groups and everyone is on alert and making sure that we are following all of the safety precautions around how to handle birds when they're found."

The sudden death of multiple birds in one area can indicate symptoms of bird flu, however, it is believed the penguin in Sorrento was found alone. Authorities are urging anyone who finds a deceased bird, or a bird exhibiting unusual behaviour such as lethargy or breathing difficulty to report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.