澳大利亚作为最后一个未出现H5禽流感的州，正面临病毒入侵的威胁。[1]澳大利亚已确认215例H5N1禽流感确诊病例，[1]其中新南威尔士州最近报告了三例新病例，分别位于Murray-Darling河交汇处、Narooma和Wentworth附近。[1]
为应对这一风险，西澳大利亚正在实施一系列措施以加强濒危物种的抵御能力。[1]该州通过建设海狮避难所、治疗钩虫等项目来提升澳大利亚海狮种群的韧性。[1]这一举措的必要性在于澳大利亚海狮全球种群数量仅为12,000只或更少，仅分布在南澳大利亚和西澳大利亚。[1]专家对病毒在海洋哺乳动物中的传播前景表示担忧。[1]澳大利亚海洋哺乳动物已面临严峻挑战：南美海狮和南极Heard岛象海豹在一个繁殖季节内数万只幼崽死亡。[1]
Dr Holly Raudino警告称，[1]"高致病性禽流感正在哺乳动物之间传播，一旦进入可能是灾难性的"。[1]目前，西澳大利亚迄今仅在候鸟中检测到禽流感，尚无本地传播。[1]
Western Australia is preparing contingency measures to protect vulnerable wildlife populations as H5N1 bird flu edges closer to the nation's last unaffected state.[1] Australia has confirmed 215 cases of H5N1 to date, with recent detections in inland New South Wales marking a significant geographical expansion of the virus.[1] Three new cases were reported near the Murray-Darling River junction, Narooma, and Wentworth.[1]
The concern centers on the catastrophic risk the virus poses to already fragile marine mammal populations. Australian sea lions, numbering 12,000 or fewer globally and found only in South Australia and Western Australia, face particular vulnerability.[1] Experts warn that rapid transmission through sea lion colonies could prove catastrophic for the species.[1] Dr. Holly Raudino cautioned that "highly pathogenic avian influenza is spreading between mammals, and once it enters, it could be disastrous."[1] Other marine species have already suffered devastating losses: South American sea lions and southern elephant seals at Heard Island experienced die-offs of tens of thousands of pups in a single breeding season.[1]
To date, Western Australia has detected bird flu only in migratory birds with no evidence of local transmission.[1] State authorities are implementing protective strategies across endangered species populations, including construction of sea lion sanctuaries and treatment programs designed to strengthen population resilience ahead of the virus's potential arrival.[1]