CNN
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Three grizzly bears have been euthanized in Montana after they grew to become ailing and examined positive for the extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus, in line with the state’s Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
These have been the primary documented circumstances of bird flu in a grizzly in Montana and the primary nationwide for this outbreak of HPAI, in line with Dr. Jennifer Ramsey, the division’s wildlife veterinarian.
The juvenile bears have been in three separate places in the western a part of the state throughout the fall, the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks mentioned in a press release.
The bears “were observed to be in poor condition and exhibited disorientation and partial blindness, among other neurological issues,” the assertion mentioned. “They were euthanized due to their sickness and poor condition.”
Avian influenza – generally referred to as bird flu – is a naturally occurring virus that spreads rapidly in birds. There have been documented circumstances of HPAI in a skunk and a fox in Montana final 12 months, and the virus has been seen in raccoons, black bears and a coyote in different states and international locations, in line with the Montana company.
“The virus is spread from one bird to another,” Dr. Ramsey advised CNN through electronic mail. “These mammals likely got infected from consuming carcasses of HPAI infected birds.”
“Fortunately, unlike avian cases, generally small numbers of mammal cases have been reported in North America,” Ramsey mentioned. “For now, we are continuing to test any bears that demonstrate neurologic symptoms or for which a cause of death is unknown.”
While discovering three grizzlies with bird flu in a brief time period could elevate issues, Ramsey mentioned it might be that there have been extra circumstances that haven’t been detected.
“When wildlife mortalities occur in such small numbers or individuals, and in species like skunks, foxes and bears that don’t spend a lot of time in situations where they are highly visible to the public, they can be hard to detect,” the wildlife veterinarian mentioned.
“When you get that first detection you tend to start looking harder, and you’re more likely to find new cases,” she mentioned. “When a large number of birds are found dead on a body of water, it gets noticed and reported… when someone sees a dead skunk, they may think nothing of it and not report it.”
While it’s unknown simply how prevalent the virus is in wild birds, “we know that the virus is active basically across the entire state due to the wide distribution of cases of HPAI mortality in some species of wild birds,” Ramsey mentioned.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mentioned in November the nation was approaching “a record number of birds affected compared to previous bird flu outbreaks,” with greater than 49 million birds in 46 states dying or being killed because of publicity to contaminated birds.
Human infections with bird flu are uncommon however are possible, “usually after close contact with infected birds. The current risk to the general public from bird flu viruses is low,” the CDC says on its web site.
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking folks to report any birds or animals appearing “unusual or unexplained cases of sickness and/or death.”
