Photo: Jon Olav Nesvold/NTB/TT
A polar bear discovered dead in Svalbard has been confirmed to have contracted bird flu.
This is the first time the virus has been found in a polar bear in Norway and in Europe, the Norwegian Veterinary Institute tells NRK, News.Az reports, citing Sweden Herald.
In mid-May, tourist guides raised the alarm after finding a dead polar bear and a dead walrus in Raudfjorden, Svalbard, the institute says in a press release. Polar bears have also been seen limping on their hind legs, which may be a neurological symptom of the disease.
Samples from both the polar bear and the walrus confirm highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, NRK reports.
There are few confirmed cases of avian influenza in polar bears, and little is known about how the species is affected by the virus.
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