A terrifying outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is ripping through California’s Bay Area, leaving a trail of carcasses and forcing state officials to lock down one of the region’s most popular wildlife destinations.
The carnage began at Año Nuevo State Park, roughly 50 miles south of San Francisco, where a strain of H5N1 bird flu has decimated the local elephant seal population. What started as a handful of deaths exploded into a full-blown crisis, with at least 47 elephant seals confirmed dead.
Scientists are sounding the alarm after the pathogen was detected in a California sea lion and southern sea otter.
They were “certainly not expecting to see a sea otter,” Patrick Robinson, director of the Año Nuevo reserve, said at a press conference on Thursday. He described a grim daily routine of discovering at least two dead and two infected animals every day.
The park has been forced to cancel its famous guided tours and officials have warned the public that the virus has spread to parts of public beaches.
The specific strain, identified as A3, was first tracked in Eurasia in 2022 before making its way across the Pacific Flyway. While it previously ravaged fur seal colonies in Russia, this marks the first time this deadly variant has hit the Pacific coast.
It’s not just mammals in the crosshairs. Western gulls, common murres, and Brandt’s cormorants are dropping in droves, while the local peregrine falcon population is reportedly taking a hit due to the same relentless strain.
While health officials are urging the public to keep their distance, the risk to humans remains low.
“While the risk to the general public remains very low and there’s no evidence of seal-to-human transmission, to limit the potential transmission to humans we are asking the general public to avoid contact with sick or dead animals, including marine mammals and birds,” Dr. Catherine Sallenave, an infectious disease specialist in San Mateo County, said. “And we’re reminding people to keep their pets on a leash while on the beach and not approach wild animals.”
For now, the message to Bay Area beach goers is simple: Stay away from the seals and sick animals.
