Rush to vaccinate natives as deadly bird flu strain reaches NZ

Thursday, 16 July 2026

DOC senior science advisor and wildlife vet Kate McInnes vaccinates a takahē at Willowbank in Christchurch.

The Department of Conservation is rolling out vaccines for some of Aotearoa’s most vulnerable native birds and considering temporary closures of conservation land as deadly bird flu reaches our shores.

The H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) – commonly called bird flu – has been sweeping the globe and was first confirmed as being in New Zealand on Wednesday, with a sick brown skua, a seabird, found on a Wellington beach on July 10 confirmed to have the disease.

The highly contagious viral infection can affect all bird species, both wild and domestic. It can be transmitted to mammals, including humans, although the risk to human health is considered low, with only about 1000 cases of H5N1 viruses since the strain was first discovered in 2003.

Sustained human-to-human transmission has not been recorded, and people usually only catch it after close, unprotected contact with infected animals. H5N1 viruses are dangerous, however, with a fatality rate of 47.9% according to the World Health Organisation.

Its risk to wildlife is considerably more severe, with UK researchers describing it as “one of the biggest conservation threats” facing that country’s seabirds.

Here, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), the Department of Conservation (DOC), the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand have been working with the poultry industry and local councils.

On Thursday, DOC director-general Cat Wilson said they had started vaccinating core breeding populations of five of New Zealand’s most threatened birds – kākāpō; takahē; tchūriwat’/tūturuatu/shore plovers; kakī/black stilts, and kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet – last week.

“By the end of today, 67 out of about 300 birds will have had their first vaccine, which will be followed up by a booster shot a month later. This should be complete by spring,” she said.

“We know from our research trial completed last year that the vaccination is safe and effective in these birds and will help protect them from bird flu.”

If H5N1 spreads, they would consider vaccinating other threatened species, Wilson said.

DOC veterinary adviser for kākāpō Lydia Uddstrom vaccinates a bird on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island.

“It won’t be possible to vaccinate all endangered birds, but we can focus on those species where the full two doses of the vaccine can be safely given to achieve protection.”

DOC biosecurity manager Ash Murphy previously told The Press it was impossible to control the spread in wild birds.

They do not yet know exactly what impact the virus would have on native species, but it will be more likely to affect colony-nesting birds like red and black-billed gulls, gannets, terns, and other seabirds, “due to the close contact transmission of the virus through secretions and faeces”.

In other countries, waterfowl, such as ducks, geese and swans, and raptors, like harrier hawks, have been considered at high risk.

Kakī are one of the five species which will have part of their core breeding population vaccinated.

“Management options will be limited.”

Murphy said DOC had plans to mitigate the risk to threatened species and public conservation land.

DOC senior science adviser Kate McInnes said the five target species for vaccination were chosen because of their small populations.

“We’ve seen the devastating impacts of this virus on wildlife in other parts of the world, and we want to reduce the risk to our precious native birds where we can.

“It won’t be possible to vaccinate all endangered birds if bird flu arrives, but we can focus on those species where the full two doses of the vaccine can be safely given to achieve protection.”

Colony-nesting seabirds like the black-billed gull are among the species DOC says could be most at risk.

The vaccine contains dead virus and cannot cause bird flu infection.

Murphy said access to some public conservation land and waters may also be restricted or temporarily closed during bird flu outbreaks to reduce stress on wildlife and minimise disturbance to affected birds.

It would also protect public safety and help avoid spreading the virus through infected droppings or secretions, which could be moved about by people travelling through the area.

Conservation area closures were likely to be limited to sites such as bird breeding and marine mammal colonies and areas where mass die-offs occurred.

On top of current biosecurity and hygiene practices around wildlife, extra protective measures would also be introduced in captive breeding facilities, “to help safeguard important breeding populations”.

Dunedin Wildlife Hospital general manager Suzanne Stephenson previously said people calling in about sick wildlife would be asked more questions than usual, including exact GPS co-ordinates if possible, whether there were other sick or dead animals nearby, what symptoms were apparent, and whether anyone had handled it.

Symptoms in birds can include difficulty standing or walking; tremors or seizures; head or neck twisting; gasping for air; and swollen eyes or heads.

Stephenson said they would need to be “very cautious about what’s accepted in the hospital”, to protect vulnerable wildlife already in their care.

“It’s important that we keep obviously our patients as protected as possible, as well as our own veterinary staff.”

DOC urged people who spent time outdoors to keep their distance and not touch or collect sick or dead wildlife, and to keep gear clean.

The public was asked to report groups of three or more sick or dead birds, marine mammals or other wildlife to the MPI exotic pest and disease hotline by calling 0800 80 99 66.