An ongoing bird flu outbreak has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of seals and sea lions, causing significant harm to wildlife populations and economic losses at poultry farms. The outbreak, which began in 2020, has resulted in the deaths of millions of domesticated birds worldwide.

While health officials have stated that the virus is not currently a threat to humans, experts have cautioned that its continued spread could elevate the risks to human populations. The virus has been identified in seals on both the eastern and western coasts of the United States, with at least 300 seals succumbing to bird flu in New England and smaller numbers in Washington state’s Puget Sound.

South America has also been severely affected, with over 20,000 sea lions perishing in Chile and Peru, along with thousands of elephant seals in Argentina. The virus, which can be controlled in domesticated animals, spreads rapidly among wildlife and ocean mammals. Marcela Uhart, the director of the Latin America program at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the University of California, Davis, emphasized the wildfire-like spread of the virus in wildlife and its transmission to new areas through the movement of animals. The virus is believed to have been transmitted to seals through contact with infected seabirds, resulting in high death rates in South America.

Scientists are actively researching the origins of the infection in seals, with contact with infected seabirds being the most likely source. The severity of the outbreak underscores the need for continued vigilance and research to mitigate its impact on wildlife populations and prevent further spread.