Mountain lion, skunk and bear in Colorado recently contracted avian flu
The avian flu has killed thousands of wild birds across the United States, and now it's taking a toll on a different type of wildlife in Colorado.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife sent out a news release this week sharing the following information about highly pathogenic avian influenza cases:
- A black bear in Huerfano County was affected by the disease in October and had to be euthanized in October 2022. CPW Area Wildlife Manager Mike Brown said in a prepared statement that "the decision to humanely euthanize the animal was made following the abnormal behavior and knowledge that numerous infectious diseases cause neurological symptoms. ... Extremely ill animals have difficulty moving and often act abnormally."
- A skunk tested positive in Weld County in November.
- CPW officers discovered that a mountain lion in Gunnison County died from avian flu last month. It was found dead just outside Gunnison city limits.
The strain of flu was first confirmed in wild geese in March of 2022 in northeast Colorado. CPW says animals can contract avian flu from consuming a sick bird.
