NZ rushes to vaccinate beloved native parrots as bird flu reaches shores

The kākāpō, the world’s only flightless parrot, is endemic to New Zealand (Creative Commons. Photo: jidanchaomian, via Flickr.)

New Zealand has confirmed its first case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu, found in a migratory brown skua near Wellington.
This detection follows similar cases in neighbouring Australia and raises concerns for New Zealand’s uniquely vulnerable native wildlife, many of which are flightless or ground-nesting.
While there is no evidence of mass mortality or poultry infection yet, health officials are closely monitoring the situation and advising the public not to handle sick birds.
A vaccination programme has begun for 300 core breeding birds from five of the country’s most endangered species, including takahē and kākāpō.
Despite preparations, experts express worry that the virus could push some critically endangered species to extinction if it spreads rapidly.