# Australia Suspends Kangaroo Island Tours Due to H5 Bird Flu Concerns

*Australia has suspended beach tours on Kangaroo Island to protect wildlife from suspected local transmission of H5 bird flu.*

July 29, 2026 · World

## At a glance

- Australia suspends beach tours on Kangaroo Island due to suspected H5 bird flu transmission.
- First Australian case of H5 bird flu detected in June in a migratory seabird.
- Four suspected cases reported on Kangaroo Island, home to endangered sea lions.

Australia has suspended beach tours on Kangaroo Island following the first suspected cases of local transmission of the deadly H5 bird flu. The move aims to protect the island's endangered sea lions and other wildlife from the highly contagious disease.

## Rising Concerns Over Bird Flu

Australia, which had been free of the H5 strain for years, detected its first case in a migratory seabird in June. Since then, four suspected cases have been reported on Kangaroo Island, a popular tourism destination known for its large population of endangered sea lions.

## Protective Measures Implemented

South Australia's minister for primary industries, Clare Scriven, announced the suspension of beach tours on the island to safeguard the sea lions. Confirmation of 11 new bird flu cases across South Australia is expected later today.

## Threat to Unique Wildlife

There is growing concern that the H5 bird flu could exacerbate the extinction risks faced by Australia's unique fauna. Almost half of the country's wild bird species and 83 percent of its mammals are found nowhere else in the world.

The national science laboratory confirmed seven cases in greater crested terns in South Australia this week, bringing the national total to 27 positive detections.

## Sources

- BSS

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Source: https://pulsetoday.com.bd/en/world/australia-suspends-kangaroo-island-tours-h5-bird-flu