H5 bird flu advice for zoos and exhibited animals
Advice for zoos, exhibited animal keepers, and other places that work with animals.
Implement biosecurity measures
Follow the guidelines in the:
- National Zoo Biosecurity Manual
- Wildlife Heath Australia Risk Mitigation Toolbox for Wildlife Managers
- National guidelines for avian influenza: protecting people who work with birds and wildlife
- Bird flu toolkit for people who work with birds.
You should already have a biosecurity management plan in place.
The AUSVETPLAN avian influenza response strategy is the nationally agreed approach for the response to an incident of avian influenza in poultry or captive birds.
Protect your animals
Wild birds (ducks, geese, swans, seabirds and shorebirds) can carry bird flu viruses without causing or showing signs of disease.
Bird flu can spread rapidly:
- between wild birds and kept birds
- through the movement of contaminated products (e.g. eggs), feed, equipment, vehicles, litter/waste materials, clothing and footwear.
Ensure that:
- kept birds do not contact wild birds or their droppings
- wild birds cannot access their food or water.
- sick animals are assessed by a veterinarian.
Wild bird carers should avoid contact with domestic birds, especially commercial poultry farms, for 48 hours before and after handling wild birds.
Keep staff and visitors safe
Although bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans, some strains have been associated with disease in humans.
People at the highest risk of exposure are those who work with birds and/or in environments with birds and their excrement:
- parks and wildlife workers (including volunteers)
- veterinary staff
- groundkeepers
- bird breeders and/or bird display workers.
Ensure your staff and volunteers are briefed about:
Follow the advice in the:
- national guidelines for avian influenza: protecting people who work with birds and wildlife
- bird flu toolkit for people who work with birds.
Everyone should:
- wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating or drinking
- wash hands after handling birds, droppings or any contaminated equipment
- use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, and wash hands with soap and water as soon as possible
- cover any cuts or abrasions with clean, dry bandages
- don’t eat or drink in areas where birds or their droppings are present
- wear clean clothes and footwear when working around birds
- wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
- avoid direct contact with birds where possible.
Report sick or dead animals
- 5 or more sick or dead wild birds of any species
- any number of sick or dead wild seabirds, waterbirds, shorebirds or birds of prey (e.g. eagles, hawks) or marine mammals.
Bird flu is a nationally notifiable animal disease. Anyone who suspects an animal might be infected with bird flu has a legal responsibility to report it immediately.
Animals affected by bird flu are unlikely to survive and there is no known treatment available for bird flu in wild birds.