# Nearly 400 Australian species face bird flu threat as scale of disaster emerges

https://mins.news/en/item/13576

- The Guardian, 2026-08-05 01:36 UTC
- Science
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/05/penguins-dolphins-nearly-400-australian-species-threat-bird-flu-true-extent-disaster

> A federal government assessment has placed almost 400 native Australian bird and mammal species at high risk or worse from the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus. The review examined more than 2,000 native species, with nearly one in five judged highly vulnerable. The list includes penguins, fur seals, quolls, dolphins, more than 300 bird species and the Tasmanian devil. If the virus reaches them, populations could suffer severe declines in size or viability.

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