The avian flu has been identified for the first time in northern elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park in California, researchers said.
Dead elephant seal pups were observed on Feb. 19 and 20. Live pups were also seen with tremors and seizure activity, prompting researchers from the University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of California, Davis to collect samples for testing.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the virus as H5N1, a strain of highly pathogenic avian flu.
Researchers say the outbreak was quickly identified due to increased surveillance efforts. They say scientists have been screening seabirds and elephant seals along the California coast since 2024 due to concerns about the spread of H5N1.
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Año Nuevo State Park has temporarily closed key areas and halted guided elephant seal tours in hopes of preventing further spread.
The virus has been linked to severe illness and large die-offs in marine mammals in other parts of the world, including South America. In the United States, localized outbreaks have previously been detected in marine mammals in Maine, Washington and Florida.
