The Wild Felid Advocacy Center of Washington expressed deep sorrow over the incident in a statement on social media.
Tragic Bird Flu Outbreak Claims Lives of 20 Big Cats at Washington Sanctuary
Tragic Bird Flu Outbreak Claims Lives of 20 Big Cats at Washington Sanctuary
A recent outbreak of bird flu has led to the tragic loss of 20 big cats, including a Bengal tiger, at a wildlife sanctuary in Washington State.
In a heartbreaking sequence of events, an outbreak of bird flu has devastated a wildlife sanctuary in Washington, resulting in the deaths of 20 big cats, which include a Bengal tiger and four cougars. This alarming situation has prompted the Wild Felid Advocacy Center of Washington to close its doors to the public and enforce a quarantine as a proactive measure to prevent further infection. Mark Mathews, the sanctuary's director, reported that all the cat fatalities occurred between late November and mid-December, marking an unprecedented tragedy for the organization. “We've never had anything like it; they usually die basically of old age,” Mathews mentioned in an interview with the New York Times, describing the outbreak as a “pretty wicked virus.”
The fatal avian virus mostly spreads through respiratory secretions among birds, but it can also be transmitted to mammals that consume infected birds or contaminated materials. Among the individuals lost were five African serval cats, four bobcats, and two Canada lynx, leaving the sanctuary with only 17 cats remaining. The situation is particularly dire since cats exhibit rapid deterioration, often succumbing within 24 hours due to pneumonia-like symptoms linked to the virus.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of increasing bird flu cases across the U.S., affecting not only wildlife but also poultry and cattle for the first time, with alarming implications for public health. As of now, there have been 61 reported human cases of bird flu across the nation, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain that the risk to the general public remains low, and cases reported have largely been mild. One hospital admission occurred in Louisiana due to a severe case of the virus this month. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency concerning outbreaks among dairy cows, highlighting the urgency of managing this ongoing public health concern.
The fatal avian virus mostly spreads through respiratory secretions among birds, but it can also be transmitted to mammals that consume infected birds or contaminated materials. Among the individuals lost were five African serval cats, four bobcats, and two Canada lynx, leaving the sanctuary with only 17 cats remaining. The situation is particularly dire since cats exhibit rapid deterioration, often succumbing within 24 hours due to pneumonia-like symptoms linked to the virus.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of increasing bird flu cases across the U.S., affecting not only wildlife but also poultry and cattle for the first time, with alarming implications for public health. As of now, there have been 61 reported human cases of bird flu across the nation, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain that the risk to the general public remains low, and cases reported have largely been mild. One hospital admission occurred in Louisiana due to a severe case of the virus this month. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency concerning outbreaks among dairy cows, highlighting the urgency of managing this ongoing public health concern.
