Avian flu confirmed among 3 dead geese in Sacramento's William Land Park
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife reported Tuesday that three birds that were previously found dead around the ponds in Sacramento's William Land Park in October have tested positive for the avian flu.
Fish and Wildlife said in a statement that the Eurasian strain of the avian influenza H5N1, which was first detected in wild birds in the U.S. in January 2022, was detected in the birds.
"Virus activity appears to have picked up in recent weeks as fall migration has gotten underway, and waterfowl are returning to many parts of the state to overwinter," the statement read. "We recommend discouraging the feeding of waterfowl by the public at park ponds to help minimize the congregation of wild birds."
There were multiple reports in October of people finding dead geese in the park near Peace Pond.
An associate professor at the UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine said in late-October that a major reason more birds catch the disease is due to the Sacramento region having fewer natural wetlands than it used to, which means birds come and go from the same spots and are able to spread the disease quickly.
The Sacramento region is at the center of the migratory flight path for millions of birds. This means the area is at a higher risk of seeing cases of the bird flu for longer periods of time compared to other regions in the state.
Fish and Wildlife previously told CBS Sacramento that the last positive case of avian flu in the state was in June.
