A baby seal has died as bird flu cases mount, sparking fears of an escalation in the deadly strain's spread.
The pup was recovered after washing up in Warrnambool, on Victoria's southwest coast, and had been identified as a potential bird flu case.
Authorities said they received a report of a baby seal found with possible H5 symptoms, confirming on Thursday that it had died.
It is potentially the first seal to be infected with the deadly virus on the Australian mainland.
The seal was cordoned off with traffic cones on a beach to discourage anyone from approaching it.
"Sadly, we can now confirm the seal is deceased. We are investigating," Victoria's Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action said in a statement.
People have been asked not to approach sick wildlife.
"We understand that many Victorians care deeply about wildlife and may find it difficult to see sick or injured birds or wildlife that cannot be immediately rescued or treated," the department said.
"We ask that community do not approach the seal."
Fears have already been raised for Australia's seal colonies.
A positive case had earlier been confirmed near an endangered Australian sea lion colony at South Australia's Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island.
More than 13,000 elephant seal pups are thought to have died on Heard Island in the Southern Ocean since the virus was first detected on the remote Australian territory by research scientists late in 2025.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society has said the losses amount to 97 per cent of pups.
Fears for the sea lion population were raised as more cases were confirmed, including one of Australia's most beloved birds.
A magpie has succumbed to the disease after being recovered near Portland, in southwest Victoria, authorities have confirmed.
It is the first native Australian songbird to be claimed by the deadly strain and one of the most common, adding to fears it may mark an escalation in the disease's spread.
The magpie was among 16 new bird flu detections, all from the southwest Victorian coast.
The deadly strain also claimed 14 greater crested terns and a silver gull.
There have now been 123 confirmed or presumed positive detections of H5 bird flu in Australia, based on samples tested.
There remained no detections in poultry or agriculture and the risk to human health remained low, Acting Australian Chief Veterinary Officer Sam Hamilton said.
