South Australia has confirmed its first case of bird flu in an Australian sea lion, according to The Daily Aus. The infected animal is a member of the endangered Australian sea lion species.
The case was reported on Monday, September 14, 2026. Coverage of the confirmation also came from The Guardian, which described the sea lion as endangered, and from Nine.com.au, which reported that the animal died on Kangaroo Island.
Separately, the first case of bird flu in a pelican has been detected in South Australia, according to ABC News. The Canberra Times reported that the pelican was the first of its kind to fall to the virus, and that another sea lion had also died.
The reports point to a widening outbreak affecting wildlife in the state, with both a marine mammal and a bird species now confirmed to have been infected. The sea lion involved belongs to a species already listed as endangered, a detail highlighted in The Guardian's coverage.
The exact strain of the virus, how the animals became infected, and the total number of affected animals have not been detailed in the reporting summarized here.
What to watch next: whether South Australian authorities confirm additional cases in sea lions, pelicans or other wildlife, and what response measures follow.
