Bird flu has been detected in a dead polar bear in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago, marking the first time the virus has been found in the species in Europe. The Norwegian Veterinary Institute confirmed the finding on Tuesday, alongside avian influenza in a deceased walrus from the same region, which is roughly halfway between the North Pole and mainland Europe.
Spreading to New Regions
“The findings are part of a trend where highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is increasingly being detected in mammals in Europe,” the institute said in a statement. “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.”
The global proliferation of HPAI has already caused widespread alarm among governments and poultry producers. It has devastated flocks, disrupted food supplies, and driven up prices, while also raising fears of potential human transmission.
Virus Subtype and Investigation
The Norwegian institute said mammals can be infected with avian influenza through direct contact with birds or other mammals, and that it is investigating whether the virus detected in the polar bear and walrus was specifically adapted to mammals. The detected virus is of the subtype H5N5, which has in recent years been found in Svalbard in birds, Arctic foxes, and a walrus.
The first case of a polar bear being infected with bird flu was confirmed in December 2023. That bear, which was infected with the H5N1 subtype, was found dead near Utqiagvik, one of the northernmost communities in Alaska. At the time, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation told local media that it was likely the bear had been scavenging on the carcasses of infected birds.
Impact on Vulnerable Species
The International Union for Conservation of Nature designates polar bears as “vulnerable” on its red list of endangered species, primarily due to the loss of sea ice. Not long after the Alaska case, bird flu was detected in Antarctica, where it was found in elephant and fur seals, as well as brown skuas, kelp gulls, and Antarctic terns, for the first time. Bird flu has also been found in seals around Europe and the Americas, as well as in mink in northern Spain and foxes and otters in England.
