NRE Tas staff have returned positive results from a targeted aerial surveillance operation conducted recently as part of ongoing H5 avian influenza (bird flu) response.
Using a fixed-wing aircraft, the team surveyed several key coastal and offshore wildlife locations to check for any signs of unusual bird or marine mammal mortality.
The good news is that no unusual mortality was observed in the large gannet and albatross breeding colonies in western Bass Strait, or at the state's only pelican rookery. These sites are important indicators of wildlife health, and the findings provide reassurance that there are currently no signs of widespread impacts in these populations.
The only mortality of note was the observation of several individual dead crested terns on Reid Rocks, which is home to a large Australian fur seal colony. Importantly, no mortality was detected at the tern roost itself, and no seal mortalities were observed during the survey.
Based on the observations, a direct follow-up investigation is not considered necessary at this stage. Reid Rocks is a remote location that is difficult to access safely, and landing personnel and equipment could create unnecessary disturbance for the resident seal colony.
The surveillance flight also highlighted the value of using a fixed-wing aircraft for this type of work. The aircraft proved to be an excellent platform for efficiently covering large areas and gathering timely information from some of Tasmania's most remote wildlife sites.
Continued surveillance remains an important part of Tasmania's response and helps ensure we can react quickly to any emerging biosecurity risks.
Other information can be found on the bird flu web page.