NZ has spent years preparing for H5N1 bird flu. For some species, it may not be enough

The kakī, or black stilt, a native wading bird only found in New Zealand, is considered highly vulnerable to H5N1 avian flu. Liz Brown, CC BY-NC-ND

The arrival of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu in Aotearoa New Zealand last month triggered a national response years in the making.

By then, surveillance systems, species protection plans and even vaccines for some birds were already in place as part of a coordinated approach led by the Ministry for Primary Industries.