Avian flu threatening bird species in Arizona at risk of extinction

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – The Extremely Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is now a lethal risk to the California Condor species. All confirmed avian flu infections within the species have been present in northern Arizona, in line with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The company mentioned 21 condors have died.

The Liberty Wildlife in Phoenix took in eight condors, however Dr. Stephanie Lamb, a volunteer, mentioned 4 of them didn’t make it. “It was scary, watching them once they first got here in. And it’s actually heartbreaking for those that didn’t make it. It actually impacts you,” mentioned Dr. Lamb.

Nonetheless, the 4 that did survive are doing higher. “At this level, they’ve examined unfavorable to the virus. And so they have antibodies, which is sweet. It means their immune system mounted up a response,” she mentioned.

Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless concern the virus will unfold to different California Condor populations exterior of the state, reminiscent of these in Utah, Oregon, California, and Baja California, Mexico. “The Arizona inhabitants of Condors is the one inhabitants that’s having issues,” mentioned Dr. Lamb.

She mentioned the primary circumstances of avian flu infections surfaced in March, however the danger of different birds catching the virus continues to be excessive. “With an endangered species, and a inhabitants that’s not tremendous secure, one thing like this has the potential to actually do a variety of injury and put them again into actually low numbers,” mentioned Dr. Lamb.

Dr. Lamb defined the species was near being worn out within the 1980′s when solely 22 of them have been left. Nonetheless, with captive breeding packages, the quantity was boosted as much as greater than 500 birds. She mentioned there is no such thing as a confirmed phrase of a vaccine being created utilizing the antibodies from the 4 birds recovering.

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