New bird flu strain threatens North American wildlife – Oregon Capital Chronicle
Written by Black Hot Fire Network on October 8, 2022
The July 5 trip was routine: From the deck of an airboat, two wildlife biologists scanned the cattail marsh — one of many seasonal wetlands in the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge — on their weekly lookout for sick or dead birds. In the summer months, avian botulism is a major concern in California’s Central Valley, and removing carcasses can stem its spread. But this year, there was added worry: A new and devastating strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) had been creeping West across the continent since December 2021, affecting millions of poultry and countless wild birds . . .
