Australia has just 12,000 sea lions left – and ‘carnage’ may await them as bird flu takes hold, scientists warn

Three types of pinnipeds breed in Australian waters: the long-nosed fur seal, the Australian fur seal and the endangered Australian sea lion (pictured). The Australian government has rated all as being at very high risk from H5 bird flu. Photograph: Alastair Pollock Photography/Getty Images

Scientists have warned deadly H5 bird flu could cause “carnage” for Australia’s seal and sea lion populations after detection of the virus in long-nosed fur seals in South Australia.

SA confirmed Australia’s first case in a mainland mammal on Saturday after a dead long-nosed fur seal found at Beachport on the Limestone Coast tested positive for H5N1.