Wildlife

Wild Avian Influenza Wildlife Welfare

High pathogenicity avian influenza has caused devastating mortality in wild seabirds and waterfowl, creating large-scale wildlife welfare emergencies.

Key Facts

HPAI H5N1 has killed millions of wild birds across Europe, North America, and Africa since 2021
Gannets, skuas, pelicans, and barnacle geese have experienced catastrophic colony losses
Infection causes neurological signs, hemorrhage, and death within days
Mass mortality events on beaches represent acute suffering on a large scale
Wildlife rehabilitation of HPAI-infected birds carries significant biosecurity risks

Welfare Considerations

Wild birds dying from HPAI experience rapid neurological deterioration, respiratory distress, and hemorrhage. The scale of mortality - millions of individual animals - represents one of the largest recent wildlife welfare events.

What You Can Do

Report sick or dead birds to the APHA or equivalent national authority
Do not handle sick or dead wild birds without appropriate protective equipment
Support monitoring programs tracking HPAI spread through wild bird populations