Avian Flu In California Mountain Lions – Eastmans’ Official Weblog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Searching and Bowhunting Journal

HPAI H5N1 higher often called the Eurasian Avian Flu, was first reported in California in July, 2022. The illness is usually impacting birds however might be transferred to carnivorous animals when the contaminated chicken is ingested. Thus far, this virus has been present in 45 of the 58 counties in California. In December, 2022 and January, 2023, the virus was detected in two lifeless mountain lions in Mono County.

These detections had been distinctive as a result of the cats had been each a part of a CDFW inhabitants examine and sporting GPS collars. Much more distinctive is these two mountain lions had been associated (mom/daughter). With each cats sporting GPS collars, CDFW obtained a mortality notification and had been in a position to recuperate the stays rapidly. Each cats underwent a necropsy to find out the reason for loss of life. They decided that the reason for loss of life was swelling of the mind (encephalitis). In addition they famous that the cats had lesions within the lungs which brought on a buildup in fluid. They’re performing extra testing to rule out the potential of co-infections, however these two findings are related to the Avian Flu.  

Though detections in carnivorous mammals aren’t widespread, CDFW is fearful that the detections had been so far-off from the Butte County detection in a bobcat (January 2023). Mono County additionally had not had any detection in wild birds but both. CDFW doesn’t anticipate this virus to have a inhabitants degree influence on California mountain lions, bobcats or different carnivorous mammals.

CDFW considers this a low-risk zoonotic pathogen, which signifies that it poses low danger of leaping from non-human animals to people. Even with the low transmission danger to people, the Heart for Illness Management nonetheless recommends that you simply take protecting measures in case you encounter lifeless birds or mammals. For those who run throughout a lifeless carnivorous mammal or chicken and it doesn’t have apparent indicators of the reason for loss of life (I.e., shot, or hit by a automobile), name CDFW and report the discovering. Don’t deal with the specimen in case you can keep away from it.