New Zealand has confirmed its first case of H5N1 bird flu in a brown skua found on Petone beach near Wellington, the government announced on 15 July 2026. The seabird tested positive a day after being discovered on 10 July.
Chief Veterinary Officer Mary van Andel warned that eradication efforts were unlikely to succeed if the virus establishes itself in wildlife populations, with the strain potentially becoming endemic within months. Authorities have begun vaccinating 300 core breeding birds from five endangered species, including takahē and kākāpō. Epidemiologist Nigel French cautioned that small seabird populations could face extinction if the virus spreads.
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard noted Australia had 14 confirmed or presumed H5 detections as of 15 July. The H5N1 strain has spread globally since 2021, killing millions of birds.