Bird flu could devastate Macquarie Island. Why are we removing the scientists we need to understand it?

PhillDanze/Getty Australia’s Macquarie Island lies deep in the Southern Ocean, about 1,500 kilometres southeast of Tasmania. This World Heritage-listed sanctuary is a haven for species such as elephant and fur seals, penguins, albatrosses and petrels, and a key site for wildlife researchers. But it is not safe from H5N1 bird flu. This lethal virus is rapidly spreading across the Australian mainland and Southern Ocean, already hitting other sub-Antarctic islands including Heard Island. However,…