Bird flu has been detected in a dead polar bear in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago, the first time the virus has been found in the species in Europe, a Norwegian government agency said yesterday.
The Norwegian Veterinary Institute said in a statement it had also detected bird flu in a dead walrus on Svalbard, which is roughly halfway between the North Pole and mainland Europe.
“The findings are part of a trend where highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is increasingly being detected in mammals in Europe,” it said.
“At the same time, the virus has spread to new areas in recent years, including the Arctic, where it may have consequences for vulnerable populations and ecosystems.”
&uuid=(email))