New Zealand Adapts to Endemic Bird Flu | Auckland News

New Zealand is bracing for a long-term battle with bird flu as the H5N1 strain, carried by migratory seabirds, establishes itself across the country. While human risk remains low, the virus is increasingly infecting mammals — though sustained spread between them is rare. With Australia already reporting local cases, experts say this was inevitable. Authorities are pivoting from eradication to management, focusing on monitoring, resilience, and protecting native birds and poultry. Economic impacts so far are minimal, but eradicating the virus from wildlife seems impossible based on global trends. Poultry farmers seeking compensation like during the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak will be disappointed — no culling powers mean no Biosecurity Act payouts. The industry must now adapt and live with the disease. Ongoing surveillance and parliamentary briefings will remain critical as officials track the evolving situation. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b1c19f483fc82f8d