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Since May 10, the coast of Maine has seen 92 seal strandings.
Marine Mammals of Maine, an organization that responds to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles in southern and midcoast Maine, reported that it is responding to three times as many seal strandings as expected for this time of year.
The stranded seals have included gray seals and harbor seals, both of which are abundant across New England. All of the recently stranded seals were either dead or required euthanasia, according toNews Center Maine.
“While marine mammal strandings frequently occur, there are some cases, such as this one, where an unusually high number of live or dead animals may come ashore in a short period of time in the same geographic area,” Ainsley Smith, a regional marine mammal stranding coordinator with NOAA Fisheries, said.
Experts took eight samples from the seals stranded on Maine’s shores since May 10 for testing. Four of the samples tested positive for the strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu, that has affected millions of birds since the start of this year.
In live seals, signs of the disease include lethargy, sneezing, coughing, discharge from the eyes and nose, and seizures, according to theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA).
Bird flu has led to millions of bird deaths so far this year. The effects of the disease are visible across the country — in June, hundreds of dead birds washed up on the coast ofMartha’s Vineyard.
According to the USDA, HPAI has affected over 40 million birds across 36 states in 2022. The outbreak has ledzoos across the countryto close their bird exhibits temporarily. The Department of Natural Resources in Michigan and Illinois also recommended that residents temporarilyremove their bird feedersand birdbaths from outside.
In April, the CDC confirmed thefirst human case of this strain of bird fluin an inmate in a Colorado prison. The man contracted the disease after direct exposure to infected poultry. Despite this finding, health officials say the health risk assessment remains low for humans and that the Colorado man has since recovered from his case.
source: people.com
