This Week in Fish and Wildlife, FWP is asking for the public’s help in identifying Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI in the wild.
Most of us know it as Bird Flu but it has been having an impact on other wildlife in Montana recently. Morgan Jacobsen says folks need to be on the lookout for wildlife that seems slow-moving or if they find dead birds. He says three grizzly bears had to be put down in December because they had contracted HPAI.
Jacobsen notes that the disease does not appear to infect humans, but he does encourage everyone to stay alert in any case. Dead birds, especially if there are several in a single area should be reported. He also says larger wildlife showing signs of slowed movement should also be reported.
Jacobsen says FWP is handling HPAI much like it is Chronic Wasting Disease in Montana by working to identify where it is most prevalent.
