Twenty big cats, including a Bengal tiger and four cougars, have died from bird flu over the past few weeks at an animal sanctuary in Washington state.
“This tragedy has deeply affected our team, and we are all mourning the loss of these magnificent animals,” the Wild Field Human Rights Center in Washington wrote in a Facebook post.
The devastating viral infection, carried by wild birds, is spread primarily through respiratory secretions and bird-to-bird contact, and can also be transmitted by mammals that ingest birds or other products.
The statement said that the shelter is subject to quarantine and closed to the public to prevent the spread of the virus.
Mark Matthews, the reserve's director, said the animals died between late November and mid-December. New York Times.
“We've never seen anything like this before,” he said. “They usually die of old age.” “It's nothing like that, it's a very evil virus.”
The news comes as bird flu continues to spread among livestock and poultry in the United States, while also seriously infecting at least one person.
The sanctuary said it lost five African cats, four kittens, two Canadian lynxes and a Bengal tiger, among others. There are now only 17 cats left at the center.
The reserve said in its statement: “Cats are particularly vulnerable to this virus, which can cause subtle initial symptoms but develops quickly, often leading to death within 24 hours due to pneumonia-like conditions.” Facebook statement Friday.
Avian influenza has long affected poultry flocks in the United States. But the virus first began infecting livestock in the United States in March.
Since April 2024, 61 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC says the risk to the general public remains low, and there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission.
Most have reported mild symptoms, though one person was hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu in Louisiana this month.
Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to an outbreak among dairy cows in the state to help the government have “the resources and flexibility it needs to quickly respond to this outbreak.”
