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Bird flu detected in seals with cases in Aberdeenshire and Highlands and Islands

Baby grey seal with paw over its face
Bird flu detected in seals across Aberdeenshire and Highlands and Islands. Picture of baby grey seal in Whalsay, Shetland by Angela Irvine

Seal carcusses tested positive for bird flu throughout Aberdeenshire and the Highlands and Islands.

The virus has claimed the lives of thousands of birds throughout Scotland, now seals are amongst those risking a similar fate.

Scottish Marine Animal Strandings revealed in a Facebook post three out of four harbour seal samples and one in two grey seal samples tested positive for bird flu between 2021-2022.

The post stressed this “perhaps isn’t surprising” given the virus has killed “thousands of wild birds and also seen to spill over into foxes and otters.”

Cases in seals across north

Figures released by the UK government showed numerous seal and otter carcusses tested positive for the virus throughout 2021-2022.

In 2021, one grey seal carcass that washed up in Aberdeenshire tested positive for bird flu.

In 2022, there were also single seals with bird flu detected in Orkney and on the Highland mainland.

Other animals at risk include Eurasian otters which tested positive for bird flu in areas on the Isle of Skye and in Shetland.

Young otter in Whalsay, Shetland. Picture by John Lowrie Irvine

Scottish Marine Animal Strandings added they’re “hoping to send more cases for screening to better understand what this means in terms of disease ecology and epidemiology.”

Bird flu concerns in poultry

Last month, 1,000 hens died near Fraserburgh after a seventh bird flu outbreak was reported in Banff and Buchan.

In December, Moray restrictions were imposed after bird flu was detected in Forres. 

Restrictions were placed on poultry, carcasses, used poultry litter and manure within the IV36 1HA area.

Moray Council’s head of service for environmental health, Jim Grant urged bird and poultry keepers at the time to ensure they understand and comply with the law.

He said: “We urge all bird and poultry keepers to read and understand the requirements set out by law that they must abide by.

“It’s crucial that owners take steps to prevent potential transmission between birds.”

Mr Grant had stressed there isn’t a significant risk to the health of humans.

“While some strains of bird flu can pass to humans this is very rare, so the risk to public health remains low.

“It usually requires very close contact between humans and infected birds, droppings or bedding, or killing or preparing infected poultry for cooking,” he said.

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