H5N1 bird flu has landed in New Zealand. 

The positive result from a brown skua found at Wellington’s Petone Beach is the country’s first case of the strain.  

For months, officials, farmers, and DOC workers have been bracing for this moment, trying to protect our wildlife from a virus that’s already devastated birds around the world. 

We’ve been one of the last places on Earth untouched by H5N1. That’s no longer true. 

So, how likely is it to spread, which animals are at risk, and should anyone be worried about their own safety? 

Today on The Front Page, University of Otago virologist Professor Jemma Geoghegan is with us to unpack what this means for our wildlife, our poultry sector, and the risk to people. 

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee