# Scientists warn Australia’s 12,000 sea lions could face ‘carnage’ from bird flu

https://mins.news/en/item/30699

- The Guardian, 2026-08-24 15:00 UTC
- Health
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/25/australia-has-just-12000-sea-lions-left-and-carnage-may-await-them-as-bird-flu-takes-hold-scientists-warn

> H5N1 has been detected in a dead long-nosed fur seal in South Australia, Australia’s first confirmed mammal case. Scientists fear the virus could spread quickly into sea lion colonies, threatening the roughly 12,000 Australian sea lions. Similar outbreaks have caused catastrophic pinniped losses in South America and sub-Antarctica, especially among pups.

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- [Australia confirms first H5N1 bird flu case in a mammal](https://mins.news/en/item/29644) — DW, 2026-08-23