First Polar Bear Death from Bird Flu Recorded as H5N1 Strain Continues Global Spread

The virus, known to infect and kill mammals, raises concerns about potential mutations that could enable human transmission.

A polar bear in Alaska has died from the H5N1 strain of bird flu, marking the first recorded case of a polar bear succumbing to the disease.
The bear is believed to have contracted the virus by feeding on the carcasses of infected birds.
The H5N1 strain, which has been spreading globally since 2021, has already resulted in the deaths of millions of birds and thousands of mammals, including sea lions, seals, foxes, and cats.
There is growing concern that the virus could mutate and adapt to spread in humans, as it has been found to spread efficiently between ferrets, a common 'animal model' used in research to predict how respiratory infections could impact humans.
The presence of bird flu poses a new threat to Arctic mammals, many of which are already vulnerable to extinction due to climate change and the melting of sea ice.