Bird flu cases surging in southern Minnesota, DNR says
OWATONNA, Minn. — Southern Minnesota has been hit especially hard by bird flu this season.
Hundreds of Canadian geese have been found dead in the southeastern cities of Owatonna, Albert Lea, Waseca and others.
Year-round, Owatonna's Morehouse Park attracts visitors of all kinds, including waterfowl like ducks and geese. But this winter, a high number of birds there are contracting avian influenza.
Jeanine Vorland is a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources area wildlife manager, covering a six-county area in the southern edge of the state.
"This was the most extensive we've seen in this particular area," Vorland said.
She says the uptick in bird flu cases began in early December and has continued through early January, leading to an alarming mortality rate.
"The Albert Lea area was particularly hard hit," she said. "From my area, there were probably several hundred mortalities."
She said visitors shouldn't approach birds suspected of having avian influenza. But if people see five or more dead birds together, the DNR wants to know about it. Vorland says bald eagles have contracted the deadly flu from eating infected geese carcasses in previous years.
There is also concern that some bird species — like trumpeter swans, who were endangered and have made a comeback — could face a setback if their numbers are hit hard by avian influenza.
The DNR will continue to closely monitor birds, hoping this season's fatalities won't hurt future populations.
"This winter's outbreak was certainly one of the largest waterfowl die-offs I've had," she said.
While cases of humans contracting avian influenza from birds are rare, the DNR is recommending not to feed the waterfowl.
It was announced earlier this week that more than $1 million in Minnesota Lottery proceeds will go towards researching bird flu.