Florida

Three dolphins found dead in Florida died from bird flu, testing finds

Researchers don't know of any other cases of bird flu impacting dolphins in Florida

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Three bottlenose dolphins found dead in Florida more than a year ago died from bird flu, officials said.

Three bottlenose dolphins found dead in Florida more than a year ago died from bird flu, officials said.

Extensive testing showed the dolphins, which were found dead in the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County toward the end of 2023, died from bird flu that most likely attacked their brains.

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Researchers from the Hubbs-Seaworld Research Institute said the virus could have caused neurological symptoms that possibly created confusion or even caused them to drown in shallow water.

"And so we know that dolphins in the lagoon will commonly feed on large schools of fish communally with large groups of birds so it's possible that that might be how they could acquire the virus. The birds will actually shed the virus through saliva, mucus or feces, so the dolphins would have to come into contact with one of those," said Wendy Noke Durden, a research scientist at Hubbs-Seaworld Research Institute.

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Researchers don't know of any other cases of bird flu impacting dolphins in Florida.

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