Blue, a 21-year-old harbor seal, is believed to have contracted the virus through contact with a wild bird, zoo officials said.
Bird flu has killed at least four snowy owls in Massachusetts in recent weeks, adding the graceful white and black-patterned predators to its victims as it sweeps through the wild bird population.
In March 2024, for the first time in the United States, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus was recognized as having crossed over from birds into cattle. Experts believe the virus was transmitted a month or two beforehand from birds to dairy cows in the Texas panhandle,
A bald eagle in Massachusetts had to be euthanized after it showed signs of neurological deficits and tested positive for bird flu. In a video shared by Raptor Tales Rescue of Shrewsbury, the bird could be seen having “sudden and frequent head movements.” This was cause for concern for it having avian influenza, also known as bird flu.
Day-to-day operations require more resources like protective gear, space in the hospital to isolate birds and money to conduct testing, said New England Wildlife Center CEO Zak Mertz.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — A seal at a Massachusetts zoo died this month after contracting bird flu. Blue, the Buttonwood Park Zoo’s beloved 21-year-old harbor seal, died due to complications from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or bird flu , officials at the New Bedford zoo said Wednesday.
While the company has conditional approval, the USDA will still have to approve its larger use before farmers can give it to their flocks, according to Science Magazine. The report added that if bird flu becomes more widespread, vaccinating chickens against bird flu could become the norm.
The nation’s biggest egg producer has seen rising revenues and profits. Now some Democrats are calling for an investigation into pricing practices in the industry.
The latest bird flu detections come as the U.S. Department of Agriculture is trying to rehire bird flu experts​ that were fired as part of DOGE cost-cutting efforts.
The results concluded that the seal "succumbed to complications from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ... the sudden death of a beloved seal at a Massachusetts zoo last week.