Australia is racing to contain the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which is now believed to have infected seven seabirds.

There are currently five confirmed or suspected cases of the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b strain in Western Australia, alongside one in South Australia and one in New South Wales.

HPAI is still not established in Australia, and currently poses little risk to human health. But the H5N1 strain has already devastated wildlife populations globally.

We’re yet to see how this deadly virus will affect our country’s wildlife. But an urgent concern is the potential for scavenger animals to spread H5N1 further by eating infected carcasses.

Read more: A suspected bird flu case has now been found in NSW. Here’s what that means

The role of scavengers

The term carcass, which refers to the body of a dead animal, may make you queasy. But carcasses are a natural and vital part of our ecosystems.

They provide food for scavengers, who in turn ensure our landscapes aren’t littered with dead animal material. Vultures are the most well-known example.

But Australia has no........

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