NEW BEDFORD, MASS. (WHDH) - Blue, a 21-year-old harbor seal at Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford died this month due to complications from avian flu, or bird flu.
Bird flu can cross over from birds to other mammals, including seals.
“We don’t know how it happened, but he had to have come in contact with an infected bird,” said Shara Rapoza, acting director of Buttonwood Park Zoo.
Dr. Shira Doron is on the U.S. Task Force that observes bird flu trends. She says they’re watching the spread between species, closely.
“We had tended to think that the flu really only affected only birds, but we’re realizing more and more that it can affect mammals,” said Dr. Doron. “And seals are one that have seen die-offs in the wild as they spread the virus to each other… If we see that this seal did not transmit the virus to its enclosure-mates, that suggests that it has not become more contagious or more suitable for mammal to mammal transmission, which is a good thing.”
The zoo is taking measure to protect its other animals from the illness, as well as its visitors.
“One of the things that we’ve learned from this and we’re trying to convey to our guests is that this can happen to us, it can happen to you, it can happen anywhere,” said Dr. Doron.
Dr. Doron explains that humans are less likely to be infected with the bird flu, outside of cases where there’s been close contact.
“It is really very close contact with infected animals that has been the risk to humans and I wouldn’t expect that to be an issue at any zoo, except when you’re talking about a petting zoo type of situation,” said Dr. Doron.
Staff members at Buttonwood Park Zoo mourn the loss of one of their most spirited animals.
“Blue would hold the brush, actually, in his mouth,” said Rapoza. “And so those are brush strokes that were done by him. And these pink flowers and the green lily pads are actually flipper prints that were done by his mom.”
The sudden loss is heartbreaking for staff who didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to Blue.
“He was a ham,” said Rapoza, “he really was. And he was just a good boy.”
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