The world is on edge as the threat of bird flu looms, and it's not just because of the potential for a deadly pandemic. It's also because of the complex interplay between our food systems, the environment, and the health of our planet. As environmental science journalist Michael Dulaney and I sit down for lunch at Marion, a highly-acclaimed restaurant in Melbourne, the conversation inevitably turns to the topic of bird flu and its potential impact on our lives.
Dulaney, who has been writing about climate change for the past 15 years, is particularly concerned about the current strain of bird flu, H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b. This strain is both highly pathogenic and highly transmissible, making it a serious threat to both birds and humans. What's more, it's mutated into this form due to our own actions, particularly the industrialization of chicken farming.
"The really bad bird flu we have now comes from a low pathogenic flu that birds just have anyway," Dulaney explains. "It doesn't have anything to do with chicken farming. There's just bird influenza that circulates around; it just causes a mild sickness. But it's not until we start industrially farming chickens that that very mild one meets [other strains in] that environment. Then it becomes a very serious one."
The irony of this situation is not lost on Dulaney, who points out that chickens were once revered and worshipped in many cultures. "They were kept as companions and as sort of beings of devotion and reverence; they were worshipped," he says, gesturing to a drumstick on the plate in front of him. "There's something beautiful in that. You know, the dignity of the chicken restored."
But the reality is that the current strain of bird flu has already jumped into mammals, killing 13,000 baby seals on Heard Island. And while person-to-person transmission of this strain is rare, it's not impossible. Dulaney is particularly concerned about the potential for this to happen, and he's prepared to take drastic measures if it does.
"If I hear of any kind of person-to-person transmission of this strain of H5N1, I intend to hole up in my parents' farm in Western Australia and stock up on supplies," he says. "Person-to-person transmission of this strain doesn't necessarily mean the start of a pandemic, but it's good to be ready."
However, Dulaney is also realistic about the challenges we face in preparing for a potential pandemic. According to the World Health Organization, the world is less prepared now than it was during COVID. "At the heart of this reality is a profound erosion of trust and unresolved inequities in access to basic services and medical countermeasures," the WHO report states.
One of the main problems is the lack of funding for the study of animal disease. Dulaney points out that there are only a handful of bird flu experts in Australia, and that the majority of people who monitor and care for wildlife do so on a volunteer basis. "Diseases give such an insight into our interconnectedness with animals, with the natural world," he says. "It very quickly became clear that there were these big opportunities to tell these complex stories around our connection to nature and the climate."
Despite these challenges, Dulaney remains optimistic. He believes that ordinary people care deeply about the environment and climate change, and that they're taking action to make a difference. "Poll after poll shows that the majority of people really care about this stuff and want to make a difference, and are doing things in small ways, big ways to fight that to address that," he says. "So that gives me hope."
In the end, the chicken at Marion was delicious, and the conversation about bird flu was thought-provoking. As we finish our meal, Dulaney reflects on the importance of being prepared for potential threats, while also remaining hopeful for the future. "We just need to be prepared as best we can," he says. "We can't control what happens, but we can control how we respond."
