Top Adelaide event casualty: Birds no show as avian flu spreads
Birds are being plucked from one of the state’s most-loved annual events as dozens more deadly flu cases are confirmed.
Bird competitions will not go ahead at this year’s Royal Adelaide Show as the H5N1 Bird Flu continues to sweep throughout the state, while the popular chick-holding experience for children at the Show’s Learning Centre would also not proceed.
Entrants in the show’s bird categories were informed of the news this morning, with Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia (RA&HS) CEO Will Rayner saying the decision was “difficult but appropriate”.
“While we think the risk is very low, we took a decision now out of an abundance of caution and to make sure that the volunteers and those exhibitors had as much time to prepare as possible,” he said, adding that the decision was reached independently by RA&HS.
A spokesperson for RA&HS confirmed that there were currently talks to replace the chick-holding experience with other “cuddly” animals in the petting zoo. There are more than 1600 classes in the Royal Show’s poultry, pigeon and egg competition section.
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It comes as the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) confirms positive test results in samples from another 32 wild seabirds since yesterday’s update, bringing the total number to 119 confirmed cases in South Australia.
Environment Minister Emily Bourke said the figure did not include the mass mortality case of more than 80 greater crested terns near Baudin Rocks.
“So, today, we know that we cannot stop bird flu, but we can increase biosecurity where possible,” Minister Bourke said.
Among the confirmed new cases were 25 greater crested terns on the Limestone Coast, three silver gulls on the Limestone Coast at Southend, three greater crested terns at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island and one greater crested tern at Port Elliot on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
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This included 12 positive greater crested terns at Port MacDonnell, 10 at Beachport, one at Robe, one at Carpenter Rocks and one at Cape Jaffa.
Asked if the government had considered rolling out a vaccination programme for threatened bird species similar to one underway in New Zealand, Georgie Cornish, who is executive director of biosecurity at the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), said PIRSA discusses vaccinations and “what works” extensively.
However, she said that vaccinations for threatened species and native birds were experimental and their effectiveness had not been confirmed, with emergency permit work still needed to be completed.
In a statement, RA&HS said that the decision to scrap bird competitions was made following consultation with relevant authorities and industry stakeholders.
“Protecting the health and welfare of animals is our highest priority, and we believe this is the right decision to support our exhibitors, our agricultural community and broader biosecurity efforts,” Rayner said.
“We recognise this will be disappointing for many, and this decision has not been taken lightly.
“However, after considering the ongoing situation and speaking with the Department for Primary Industries and Regions, who are leading the South Australian bird flu response, we believe it is the right thing to do.”
PIRSA has recorded no detections of H5 bird flu in poultry and livestock, with the risk to human health low.
Asked why there had been more cases of bird flu in SA than around the country, Minister Bourke said it was a mixture of bad luck and more extensive surveillance, meaning more sick and dead birds were identified.
According to the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, as of August 7, there were 155 confirmed or presumed positive detections of H5 bird flu in Australia, with 119 of those in SA.
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