WPBN: According to a post on Facebook made by the center, bird flu ravaged a wildlife refuge in the state of Washington, resulting in the deaths of twenty large cats. The center referred to the fatalities as a “significant loss.”
According to Mark Mathews, director of the Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Shelton, who spoke with KING, the first cat exhibited symptoms of illness around the time of Thanksgiving. At the beginning of December, the state had confirmed that their cats had been infected with avian flu.
On Friday, the sanctuary made the announcement of the fatalities through a post on Facebook.
The following species are represented among them: five African servals, four cougars, four bobcats, two Canada lynx, and one of each of the following: the Bengal cat, the Amur/Bengal tiger, the African caracal, Geoffroy’s cat, and the Eurasian lynx..
The sanctuary issued a statement in which it acknowledged that “this tragedy has profoundly affected our team, and we are all grieving the loss of these incredible animals,” and it requested assistance from the community.
Mathews had 37 cats at the end of November, but that number has now decreased to 17.
There were a few of the cats that were highlighted on the website of the refuge. According to the website, Tabbi, a half-Bengal and half-Amur tiger that exists in a state of endangered status, loves playing in the water.
Having been brought to the sanctuary as a young cub from Wyoming, Hannah, a cougar, was taken there after her mother was murdered. Hannah was referred to as “sweet” on the website, and it was indicated that she enjoyed “sneaking up on volunteers.”
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It was said on the website that Mouse, a Geoffroy’s cat and one of the smallest animals at the refuge, won the hearts of everyone who had the opportunity to interact with her.
According to the statements made in the Facebook post, health professionals have confirmed that more than half of the animals at the refuge have developed avian influenza.
Infected birds’ droppings and secretions are the primary vectors via which the virus is transmitted. It is possible for carnivorous mammals to take the disease if they come into contact with diseased birds or if they are exposed to a polluted environment.
According to the sanctuary, cats are especially susceptible to bird flu, and the symptoms can progress very quickly, “often resulting in death within twenty-four hours due to conditions with characteristics similar to pneumonia.”
The sanctuary has been placed under quarantine and will continue to be closed until further notice in order to safeguard the other animals and prevent any further spread of the disease.
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These deaths have occurred at a time when zoos all around the country have begun to implement preventative measures. The bird flu caused the deaths of five animals at a zoo located outside of Phoenix, and one animal lived at a zoo located in Seattle.
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