Idaho’s Department of Fish and Game says suspected avian flu outbreaks throughout Idaho are leading to thousands of wild bird deaths.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service warned of a potential bird flu outbreak in the Nampa area. Residents and visitors were advised to stay away from any bird — dead or alive — in the Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge near Lake Lowell.
In a statement on Wednesday, IDFG said they are aware of a large number of deceased birds around Lake Lowell, Parma and Fort Boise. They said the few thousand deaths, linked to bird flu, can be attributed to a recent increase in waterfowl migration through Idaho in the last few years.
The Department said this number of deaths from the flu is not concerning, as they represent only a small portion of the millions of migrating birds.
Since February, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported cases of bird flu in 35 dairy and 15 poultry farms located in Idaho. No human cases have been found in the state, but 22 are confirmed across Colorado, Oregon and Washington.
The CDC said current health risk related to the bird ful to humans is low. Both IDFG and the CDC recommend keeping a safe distance from any wild bird that appears sick or dead, and wearing protective materials when handling or disposing of deceased waterfowl.
