Sammy the seal faces bird flu threat

A male southern elephant seal known as Sammy is under threat in Portland, Victoria, a hotspot for the H5N1 bird flu virus. The area has seen 17 confirmed cases in wild birds since the end of July, with many more suspected.

Local resident Lynn Murrell, president of the Southwest Environment Alliance, says the situation on the beach has been "pretty grim." She estimates there are 30 to 40 new sick and dying birds appearing on the beach each day. Sammy, who has "kind of adopted the town," has recently been spotted near birds presumed to have died from the virus.

Community concerns and response

People are worried about their local "pet seal," who is a great tourist attraction. "We'd hate to see him get the flu," Murrell said. The first confirmed case of bird flu in a fur seal was reported on Sunday in Beachport, South Australia, a two-hour drive away.

A spokesperson for the Glenelg shire council said the state government's advice was to leave dead birds in place. However, the council has begun removing some carcasses where "unacceptable public amenity or safety risks have been identified." Volunteer wildlife carers from western Victoria travelled to Portland last weekend to humanely euthanise suffering birds.

David Mould from the Victorian Wildlife Alliance described the volunteer effort as "a Band-Aid over a bleeding wound." He said, "This is not a solution. This is a couple of volunteers picking up the slack of what should be a major government operation."

Risks to marine mammals

Seals and sea lions often share spaces with wild birds, placing them at risk. In Victoria, more than 100 marine mammals have been reported to the emergency animal disease hotline this month, though none have been confirmed as positive cases.

Professor Rob Harcourt from Macquarie University explained that elephant seals are "the most gregarious animals you've ever seen." They are also "thigmotactic," meaning they love to lie touching each other, and recognise one another through "nasal exchange" by sniffing each other's faces.

A national assessment lists southern elephant seals, which are federally classified as vulnerable, at "very high risk" of H5 bird flu. The deadly strain killed more than 13,000 pups on Heard Island in 2025 and 2026.

Australian sea lions, listed as endangered, are a particular concern. "Sea lions are like the labradors of the sea. They're friendly and playful, and they're curious," Harcourt said. "I will be totally and utterly devastated if we lose them."

The suffering of birds

The decline in infected birds is rapid. "These birds can't fly. They have neurological symptoms," David Mould said. "They lose their ability to walk, and they start staggering around having seizures."

Southern elephant seals like Sammy breed in large colonies but disperse widely to feed, migrating over 1,000 kilometres. On land, they "move along like caterpillars," according to Harcourt.