The Eurasian pressure of the extremely pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in two mountain lions in California, wildlife well being specialists confirmed Tuesday.
The California Division of Fish and Wildlife stated the stays of two mountain lions — a mom and its feminine cub — have been collected from Mono Lake in Mono County in December and January.
A California mountain lion (nps.gov)
Samples have been submitted to the California Animal Well being and Meals Security Laboratory in Davis for preliminary testing. The U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Nationwide Veterinary Companies Laboratories confirmed the detection of avian influenza final week.
The mountain lions are the second species of untamed mammal recognized to have contracted the avian influenza, or HPAI H5N1, in California because the virus was reported in wild birds in July 2022. To this point, the virus has been present in 45 counties statewide, CDFW stated.
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Over 700,000 recreation fowl have been killed after reported avian flu instances in Iowa led to the anticipated slaughter of a complete turkey flock. (AP Picture/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Dr. Jaime Rudd, a pesticide and illness investigations specialist in CDFW’s Wildlife Well being Lab stated researchers don’t count on the avian influenza to have a “population-level” influence on California’s mountain lions or different mammalian carnivores.
“The principle route of illness transmission of carnivores appears to be by way of ingestion of contaminated birds, usually waterfowl resembling geese,” Rudd stated. “Biologists following the actions of those mountain lions famous that that they had preyed upon wild Canada geese previously.”
CDFW says an infection of untamed mammals with avian influenza viruses is comparatively uncommon. Sporadic detections have been made in mammalian carnivores within the U.S. and Canada, together with foxes, bobcats, raccoons, skunks and bears.
On this photograph launched by the Cambodia Ministry of Well being, a Cambodia animal well being officer, proper, and a navy police officer place posters about consciousness of H5N1 virus threats in hopes of teaching villagers to deal with their well being in Prey Veng japanese province Cambodia, Feb. 23, 2023. (Cambodia Ministry of Well being through AP)
The detection comes as an ongoing hen flu outbreak has value the federal government greater than $660 million and added to shoppers’ ache on the grocery retailer after greater than 58 million birds have been slaughtered to restrict the unfold of the virus.
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Along with the price of the federal government response that the USDA amassed and rising costs for eggs, rooster and turkey, farmers who elevate these animals have simply misplaced upward of greater than $1 billion, in line with some estimates.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
