Victoria Initiates Large-Scale Bird Flu Vaccination Program for Little Penguins
Victorian wildlife officers are undertaking an extensive vaccination program targeting over 5,000 little penguins in Phillip Island and St Kilda to protect them from the virulent H5N1 bird flu. This initiative is described by the state government as the world's largest program to vaccinate wild birds. The decision follows the death of one little penguin on Phillip Island due to bird flu. Little penguins, the world's smallest penguin species, are particularly vulnerable due to their colonial living habits, which facilitate rapid virus transmission. The vaccination process is challenging as it requires capturing the birds twice for an initial dose and a booster shot, similar to human vaccination protocols. However, their flightless nature and predictable return to burrows at night make them more accessible for this intervention. The federal government has authorized the use of H5N1 vaccines for priority native bird species, and while the inactivated viral vaccine had not been tested on native birds or little... 
