ARE migratory birds helping to spread the H5N1 bird flu devastating east Asian poultry flocks? And could they carry it as far as Australia? A study to find out by analysing droppings from the migratory birds that return to Queensland鈥檚 Heron Island each summer could be delayed for a year by bureaucratic wrangling.
Renowned flu expert Graeme Laver, formerly of the Australian National University, planned to collect fresh droppings using no more than a plastic sheet. This week he received a permit from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, only to be told by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries that he will be liable for prosecution unless he gets approval from the department鈥檚 animal ethics committee, which could take months. 鈥淚t鈥檚 ridiculous, all we want to do is collect bird poo,鈥� says Laver. He claims the authorities fear finding H5N1 will deter tourists, while they say they are merely following the rules.