Bird Flu Causes Deaths of Thousands of Seals and Sea Lions

Bird flu is killing tens of thousands of seals and sea lions around the world, disrupting ecosystems and puzzling scientists who see no clear way to slow this devastating virus. This virus is not believed to pose a significant threat to humans, but its spread within agricultural operations and terrestrial ecosystems has caused widespread economic disruptions and environmental disturbances. Scientists have noted that seals and sea lions, which inhabit distant places like Maine and Chile, seem particularly vulnerable to the disease. The virus has been detected in seals along both the eastern and western coastlines of the United States, resulting in the deaths of over 300 seals in the New England area. The situation is more severe in South America, where more than 20,000 sea lions have died in Chile and Peru, as well as thousands of elephant seals in Argentina. Marcela O'Hara, director of the Latin America program at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the University of California, Davis, stated that the virus can be controlled in domestic animals, but it can spread unchecked in wildlife and marine mammals like the seals in South America which have not been previously exposed and have suffered devastating consequences. O'Hara added, "Once the virus enters the wildlife, it spreads like wildfire, as long as there are susceptible animals and species. Animal movement spreads the virus to new areas."