Avian Influenza Bird Flu — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: doctor_k
Researchers found that two eaglets that recently passed away in Florida had tested positive for the avian flu.
Within a day of one another, Eaglets E24 and E25, who were shown on Dick Pritchett Real Estate’s Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, passed away.
Eagle Cam reports that E24 experienced seizures for a few minutes prior to its unexpected death on Monday. When researchers arrived to retrieve the remains of its sister, E25 seemed healthy, but the last eaglet later suffered seizures and passed away Tuesday morning after falling out of the nest.
A social media post stated, “This is new ground for our cameras and viewers.”
At a news conference on Thursday, representatives of the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, or CROW, stated that both eaglets tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, also referred to as bird flu or HPAI, following a necropsy.
Wild birds are particularly susceptible to bird flu, even though it is usually linked to poultry species.
“A highly pathogenic strain of the H5N1 virus, the current strain of avian influenza has caused devastating losses in the birds it affects,” Dr. Jessica Comolli stated. As we regrettably saw with the eaglets in this nest, “some species, like birds of prey, are extremely susceptible and can succumb to the disease rapidly, while other birds, like waterfowl, can shed the virus while remaining asymptomatic.”
According to Comolli, HPAI can be transmitted via excrement or contaminated materials, and it seems that the eaglets got the illness from consuming an infected bird.
“We understand that the parents are understandably concerned and that these results are concerning for all of you,” Comolli stated.
In bird species, HPAI usually manifests as weakness, dyspnea, appetite loss, incapacity to fly or stand, and neurological symptoms such as convulsions and tremors.
Because of the risk to the animals while they are still in flight, CROW is currently not authorized to capture the parents, M15 and F23, for observation.
Comolli stated, “They were spotted many feet in the air yesterday.”
CROW requested that you contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 888-404-3922 or them at 239-322-5068 if either parent exhibits symptoms of a bird flu illness.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
