Alaskan Polar Bear Becomes First Known Species Fatality to Avian Flu H5N1
A polar bear in Alaska has died from the H5N1 bird flu virus, marking the first known case in the species and highlighting the spread of the virus to remote regions. The virus, which has killed millions of wild birds and thousands of mammals globally, poses a significant threat to unique polar ecosystems and has already caused increased mortality in species like seals and skuas in the Antarctic. Scientists fear that the virus could lead to a major ecological disaster if it infects remote penguin populations. The situation underscores the vulnerability of polar wildlife to emerging diseases and the potential impacts of climate change on disease dynamics.