Avian Flu Devastates California Elephant Seal Colony: 30+ Pups Dead
Outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu strain kills over 2 dozen elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo State Park in California, leading to closures.
The elephant seal colony at California's Año Nuevo State Park has been devastated by an outbreak of a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, with over 30 seal pups killed by the disease as of last Thursday. The park, home to around 5,000 seals during the breeding season from mid-December through March, has been forced to temporarily close seal-viewing areas due to the alarming mortality rate among the vulnerable weaned pups.
Researchers at the park have been closely monitoring the situation, and they report that nearly all of the 30 seals that have died so far were young pups who had recently been weaned from their mothers. The bird flu outbreak has taken a significant toll on the delicate elephant seal population, raising concerns about the long-term impact on the colony.
Source: The Guardian
