Mystery illness killing hundreds of birds across WA leaving wildlife carers deeply concerned

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Scientists are trying to get to the bottom of a mystery illness causing paralysis and death in magpies and other native bird species across Western Australia. Wildlife carers in Perth and the southwest have been overwhelmed with hundreds of cases of the mysterious and deadly illness.

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00:00Western Australia's songbirds are succumbing to a mystery illness.

00:07Perth's wildlife hospital has been tracking cases of so-called black and white bird disease for seven years,

00:14and numbers this summer have surged.

00:17When we first started seeing this many years ago, we'd probably get one or two birds a month.

00:21We're now seeing 200 birds a month, so a huge increase.

00:25Scientists know little about the disease, but rising cases are concerning wildlife carers.

00:31If all wildlife hospitals in the southwest see those numbers, then we're seeing a massive decline in this species.

00:37So it could be in five years' time or ten years' time we may not have magpies left in suburbia.

00:42It's a very good girl, yes.

00:46In the town of Dunsborough, carer Sandy Gillard has taken care of more than 100 birds during the recent outbreak.

00:54This one down here, the first one at the lakes, there were hundreds of birds found dead.

01:01Many of the birds can't be saved.

01:04Hungry love? Oh yes we are.

01:06Researchers are studying the disease in a variety of species.

01:11Other species that have been reported have been ravens and mudlarks and some carawongs.

01:16Prior testing has pointed to the bacterial illness botulism,

01:20but researchers say more data is needed and are urging the public to notify them about any sick or dead birds.

01:28The main things we would be looking at are things like toxins that might be in the environment at this time of year.

01:33Meanwhile, cases of the mystery disease continue to soar in our cherished native bird population.

01:41For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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