17 October 2026
Wildlife experts and veterinarians from Tasmania’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE Tas) have launched a complex pilot program to vaccinate the native shy albatross against highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza. Breeding exclusively on three remote islands off Tasmania’s coast, the species is considered exceptionally vulnerable to the virus, although no cases have been recorded in the colony to date.
The three- to four-week trial is taking place on remote, rugged Albatross Island in the Bass Strait. Field teams carefully capture nesting birds by hand and administer the two required vaccine doses under strict biosecurity and animal-welfare protocols. The birds are weighed, clinically assessed, and temporarily marked with non-toxic paint, while numbered nest markers facilitate booster administration and ongoing monitoring by remote cameras.
Described as a world first for wild albatrosses, the 100-bird pilot aims to generate evidence to guide future conservation policies and determine whether large-scale vaccination can feasibly protect vulnerable seabird populations against avian influenza.
