Australia's CSIRO is currently testing a red fox for suspected H5N1 avian influenza infection, marking the agency's first land mammal test for the virus. Ongoing cases of avian flu across Australia pose a growing threat to local wildlife. Vulnerable creatures include an elephant seal in a Victorian risk zone, with a case identified in Merri-bek.
In South Dakota, avian flu has hit 77,700 birds, raising the cumulative four-year outbreak total to 8.1 million birds. Beyond these reported cases, experts warn that feeding birds in backyards might serve as a major spreading vector.