Penguins are worth hundreds of millions to the economy — and now there is a fight to save them
In the Australian state of Victoria, more than 1,000 penguins have been vaccinated out of a target of about 5,000. The complex operation is made possible by their tendency to return to the same burrows every night. Urgency increased following the discovery of bird flu cases in the area. Professionals emphasize that vaccination is only part of a set of measures to contain the virus.
In the Australian state of Victoria, an unprecedented vaccination campaign for wildlife has begun: more than 1,000 Little Penguins on Phillip Island have already received their first dose of the H5N1 bird flu vaccine. The goal is to vaccinate about 5,000 penguins on Phillip Island and in the St Kilda area with two doses.
The vaccination is carried out by skilled teams who capture the penguins using small enclosures as they come ashore from the beach. It is a complex and delicate task, made possible in part by the penguins' tendency to return to the same burrows every night. In the last few nights alone, about 300 penguins have been weighed, measured, and microchipped, and after receiving the injection, they were released back into the wild. They are expected to receive the second dose three weeks later.
The urgency of the operation increased after positive cases of bird flu were discovered on Phillip Island, including one Little Penguin, alongside mortality cases and suspected infections on nearby islands. Little Penguins — the smallest penguin species in the world, about the height of a ruler, and common in South Australia and New Zealand — are considered particularly vulnerable to the virus.
According to expert estimates, in the worst-case scenario and without vaccination, up to 16,000 penguins could die from the disease. The risk is particularly high because they are social birds that nest in dense colonies and come into contact with other seabirds that may carry the virus. Professor John Cockrem from New Zealand noted that the new threat adds to the challenges already facing the penguins, including severe storms, rising sea levels, and changes in food availability due to the climate crisis.
The operation also has significant economic importance. The famous 'Penguin Parade' on Phillip Island attracts about 700,000 visitors annually and is estimated to contribute about 500 million dollars to the economy of Victoria. The state's Minister for Environment, Jaclyn Symes, emphasized that beyond the great public affection for the penguins, they also have significant economic importance for the region.
However, professionals warn that vaccination is not a total solution. James Todd, Victoria's Chief Biodiversity Officer, clarified that this is only one tool in the fight against the virus, alongside essential biosecurity measures, and that the method is not practical for hundreds of other species that are also at risk.
Catherine Basterfield, CEO of Phillip Island Nature Parks, summarized the importance of the operation, saying that this is the first time in the world that an attempt has been made to vaccinate wildlife against bird flu on such a scale.
