Over the past few weeks, a devastating outbreak of bird flu has led to the death of 20 big cats, including a Bengal tiger and four cougars, at the Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Washington. The sanctuary is now under quarantine, with the risk to public health remaining low according to health officials.
Tragedy Strikes as Bird Flu Claims Lives of 20 Big Cats at Washington Sanctuary
Tragedy Strikes as Bird Flu Claims Lives of 20 Big Cats at Washington Sanctuary
The Wild Felid Advocacy Center faces an unprecedented crisis as bird flu spreads among its big cats, prompting quarantine measures to prevent further loss.
The Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Washington State is mourning the sudden loss of 20 big cats after an outbreak of bird flu, which has severely impacted the sanctuary's feline population. Among the deceased are a Bengal tiger, four cougars, five African serval cats, and four bobcats, illustrating the profound impact of this viral infection, which typically spreads through wild bird contact and respiratory secretions.
In a heartfelt message on Facebook, the sanctuary expressed their grief: "This tragedy has deeply affected our team, and we are all grieving the loss of these incredible animals." The director of the sanctuary, Mark Mathews, added in an interview with the New York Times that this is an unprecedented event for the facility, lamenting, "We've never had anything like it; they usually die basically of old age."
The situation escalated quickly, with the cats falling ill between late November and mid-December. Bird flu, known for causing pneumonia-like symptoms in felines, caught many by surprise as the sanctuary quickly imposed quarantine measures to halt the spread of the virus. Currently, only 17 cats remain at the center, highlighting the crisis's severity.
This tragic incident occurs amid a wider outbreak of bird flu affecting agricultural sectors across the United States, with reports of virus transmission among cattle and poultry. Since March, this troubling development has been noted for the first time, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a total of 61 human cases of the virus in the country since April 2024.
Despite the significant impacts on animal populations, the CDC maintains that the risk to the general public is low, with no sustained human-to-human transmission documented. Nonetheless, one individual was hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu in Louisiana this month.
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency regarding the bird flu outbreak, particularly concerning the state's dairy cows. This response reflects the urgency and seriousness of the situation as authorities strive to manage the impact of the virus on both wildlife and livestock.
