Bird flu rips through sanctuary in Washington, kills 20 wildcats
A Washington state wildlife sanctuary is mourning the deaths of 20 wildcats amid a bird flu outbreak as the virus infects poultry farms, dairy cattle and some people across the nation.
The Wild Felid Advocacy Center of Washington in Shelton, about 80 miles southwest of Seattle, announced it was under quarantine and would be closed to the public until further notice to protect the animals and stop the spread.
The center said a variety of cats have died from the outbreak, including cougars, bobcats and African servals.
"This tragedy has deeply affected our team, and we are all grieving the loss of these incredible animals," the nonprofit wrote in a Facebook post.
Over half of big cats infected with bird flu, sanctuary says
The sanctuary said animal health officials confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, among more than half of its wildcats as of this month.
"Cats are particularly vulnerable to this virus, which can cause subtle initial symptoms but progress rapidly, often resulting in death within 24 hours due to pneumonia-like conditions," the nonprofit said.
Medical costs from the outbreak have mounted and caused a "significant financial strain," the center wrote, and asked the community for support.
The sanctuary did not immediately return Paste BN's request for comment Wednesday.
In the Facebook post announcing the deaths, the organization mourned the cats by name, from Hannah the cougar to bobcats Willie Bob and Tank, and said it had done everything it could to save them.
"Despite these efforts, we have suffered significant losses among our beloved residents," the center said.
5 animals die after bird flu exposure at Arizona zoo
Earlier this month, officials in Arizona said nearly half a dozen animals had died, including a cheetah and a mountain lion at a Phoenix-area zoo, and others were sick after being exposed to bird flu.
Two big cats and three large birds − a cheetah, a mountain lion, a swamphen, a kookaburra and an Indian goose − died after contracting the virus, Jolene Westerling from the Wildlife World Zoo told Paste BN.
Bird flu spreads in US
Authorities have confirmed 65 cases of bird flu in humans, though experts say the number is probably higher. Symptoms of H5N1 bird flu infection in humans can include pink eye, fever, fatigue, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, stuffy or runny nose and shortness of breath, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Health authorities have yet to call for the use of vaccines against bird flu because there is no evidence of spread among people, relatively few people have been infected, and most infections have been mild.
Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, Eduardo Cuevas and Adrianna Rodriguez