An infectious disease expert is warning the strain of bird flu that's arrived in New Zealand has the potential to wipe out some endangered species.
By Lauren Crimp of RNZ
A seabird found on Wellington's Petone beach has tested positive for the potentially deadly H5 strain of the virus.
It's the first case recorded in New Zealand, following a global outbreak.
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said New Zealand was well prepared to respond, and government agencies had been working with industry and councils to protect poultry production, wildlife and communities.
Massey University infectious disease epidemiology professor Nigel French said there may be little that could be done for some wildlife.
"If it were to get into some of the small endangered populations, particularly of seabirds like the fairy tern — there's a very few of those in New Zealand — then it could result in an extinction of those particular species."
As a highly infectious strain of H5N1 bird flu spreads around the world, natives such as the kākapō and takahē are being protected. (Source: 1News)
The Department of Conservation (DOC) had begun vaccinating 300 core breeding birds from five of the country's most endangered birds - kākāpō, takahē, tchūriwat'/tūturuatu/shore plover, kakī/black stilt and kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet.
Animals like sealions were also at risk, French said, pointing to examples overseas where 90% of some populations had died.
"Good surveillance, good biosecurity will help contain it," he said.
"But there may be very little we could do, for example, to protect non-contained wildlife populations. So we just have to hope that many of them will not succumb in the same way that some of these populations have overseas."
French said H5 bird flu was different to other infectious diseases of animals like foot and mouth, which only affected cloven hoofed animals.
"This is something that affects multiple different species of wild animals and domesticated animals as well," he said.
"So it's difficult to put measures in place that completely protect you against it."
DOC biosecurity technical advisor Suliana Teasdale said the department did not know what would happen if the disease spread here, compared to the impact on overseas wildlife.
"We have quite unique fauna, and marine mammals and birds, so it could be quite different, but we're just being prepared," she said.
That included the vaccination plan and boosted biosecurity protocols.
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