Alaska: Polar bear dies from bird flu

In late December 2023, it was announced that a polar bear had died from the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Alaska. The polar bear was found dead in October near Utqiagvik in the North Slope region. This is the first polar bear reported to have died from bird flu. As the chances of finding a dead polar bear in remote areas are small, it is possible that polar bears have died from avian influenza before.

Many birds of various species have died from avian influenza in the North Slope region. Polar bears normally eat seals, but this polar bear may have eaten bird carcasses. The avian influenza virus can remain in the environment for a very long time due to the cold. It would therefore not be necessary for the polar bear to have directly eaten an infected bird.

In Alaska, HPAI as the cause of death has so far been found in the following mammals: three foxes, a black bear, and a brown bear. In other North American areas, multiple bears, skunks, raccoons, cougars and large numbers of seals in Eastern Canada and along the coast of Maine and Washington have died from HPAI. It was also recently found in a squirrel in Arizona. Small and large outbreaks among mammals are also known outside North America.

In the Netherlands, HPAI has been found in mammals, including a badger, an otter, polecats, stone martens and foxes.

Resources
Avian influenza death of Alaska polar bear is a global first and a sign of the virus’ persistence – Alaska Beacon
Bunzing en vossen besmet met vogelgriep | Dutch Wildlife Health Centre (DWHC)
Irina V. Chestakova, Anne van der Linden, Beatriz Bellido Martin, Valentina Caliendo, Oanh Vuong, Sanne Thewessen, Tijmen Hartung, Theo Bestebroer, Jasja Dekker, Bob Jonge Poerink, Andrea Gröne, Marion Koopmans, Ron Fouchier, Judith M. A. van den Brand & Reina S. Sikkema (2023) High number of HPAI H5 virus infections and antibodies in wild carnivores in the Netherlands, 2020–2022, Emerging Microbes & Infections, 12:2, DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2270068