Tasmanians should stay calm, remain vigilant and follow the advice from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania following confirmation of H5N1 Bird Flu in a wild Brown Skua.

Labor supports a calm, coordinated response based on expert advice and strong biosecurity measures.

Avoid. Record. Report.

If you come across a sick or dead bird or other wildlife, don’t touch it, don’t let the kids near it and keep your pets away.

Take a photo if you can, make a note of where you found it and report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

While this is a serious animal health issue, there is no evidence of an outbreak or any detection in commercial poultry..

Our farmers and poultry producers will understandably be keeping a close eye on this, and they deserve clear, timely information as the situation develops.

Tasmania has faced biosecurity challenges before.

The best thing Tasmanians can do now is be sensible, stay informed, report anything unusual and support the experts as they get on with the job.