Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza now reported from a seabird on Heard Island

Big Ben on Heard Island, photograph by Barbara Wienecke

ACAP Latest News has previously reported on the presence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Southern Elephant Seals on Australia’s Heard Island, following a summer 2025/26 expedition.  New information on the HPAI virus now comes from its detection in a Gentoo Penguin Pygoscelis papua on Heard.

“Scientists onboard the research vessel RSV Nuyina have returned from a second expedition to Australia’s Heard Island in the remote sub-Antarctic and have confirmed that H5 bird flu is spreading among the island’s wildlife.  The virus was detected in samples from Southern Elephant Seals, Antarctic Fur Seals and Gentoo Penguins. 

At this stage we don’t know how many Gentoo Penguins are affected or whether other bird species on the island have also contracted the virus, owing to the difficulties associated with monitoring species on remote sub-Antarctic islands.   Expedition scientists have reported that they didn’t observe any signs of mass mortality in mammals or birds while they were on the island.  Data from aerial surveys is [sic] currently being analysed by scientists and may reveal a clearer picture about the extent of the outbreak.”

The avian flu has yet to be reported from the three ACAP-listed Black-browed Albatrosses Thalassarche melanophris, Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses Phoebetria palpebrata and Southern Giant Petrels Macronectes giganteus that breed on Heard Island.

Read the full account here.  Read the Australian Government’s media release here.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 11 March 2026