Wildlife Welfare

Wild Avian Influenza Future Preparedness

HPAI H5N1 continues to pose serious welfare threats to wild bird populations. Preparing for future outbreaks through surveillance, research, and response capacity reduces welfare suffering.

Key Facts

HPAI H5N1 remains present in wild bird populations globally with ongoing welfare threats
Sporadic outbreaks in seabird colonies continue to cause significant mortality
Wildlife surveillance networks detect outbreaks earlier enabling faster response
Research into wildlife vaccination strategies is advancing but not yet deployable at scale
Biosecurity between wild birds and poultry remains essential to prevent farm welfare disasters

Welfare Considerations

Preparing for future HPAI outbreaks reduces both the welfare suffering they cause and the broader ecological disruption from mass mortality events. Surveillance that enables early detection, biosecurity that prevents farm spread, and research into wildlife vaccination options all contribute to reducing individual and population-level welfare costs of future outbreaks.

What You Can Do

Support APHA and BTO wild bird surveillance and monitoring programmes
Follow biosecurity advice regarding wild birds and poultry during outbreak periods
Advocate for research funding into wildlife HPAI management and vaccination