Researchers have found avian flu in elephant seal pups at California’s Año Nuevo State Park, and officials have stopped seal-watching tours to help limit the spread of the virus. On Wednesday, UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis researchers said seven pups have tested positive so far. They say several more show signs of illness.
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Here's who is most at risk and symptoms to watch forSee photos of the massive snowstorm pummeling northeast USSome people tape their mouths shut at night. Doctors wish they wouldn'tFDA proposes new system for approving customized drugs and therapies for rare diseasesScarification: The simple seed-starting trick that helps tough-coated seeds sprout fasterBuddhist monks rally in Sri Lanka to pressure the government for a wider role in affairs of stateEl discurso del Estado de la Unión da a Trump una oportunidad de defender su política exteriorAn elephant seal pup, right, rests next to female elephant seals on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. People watch as elephant seals rest on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. A female elephant seal watches visitors on a tour of Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. Elephant seals rest on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. Red Star chickens feed in their coop, Jan. 10, 2023, at Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview, Ill.An elephant seal pup, right, rests next to female elephant seals on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. An elephant seal pup, right, rests next to female elephant seals on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. People watch as elephant seals rest on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. People watch as elephant seals rest on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. A female elephant seal watches visitors on a tour of Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. A female elephant seal watches visitors on a tour of Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. Elephant seals rest on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. Elephant seals rest on a beach at Año Nuevo State Park, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Pescadero, Calif. Red Star chickens feed in their coop, Jan. 10, 2023, at Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview, Ill.Red Star chickens feed in their coop, Jan. 10, 2023, at Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview, Ill.Researchers say seven seal pups have tested positive for an avian flu virus at California’s Año Nuevo State Park and several more are showing signs of the illness. The outbreak has prompted park officials to cancel the park’sResearchers with University of California-Santa Cruz and University of California-Davis made the announcement Wednesday, calling it the first detected outbreak of the virus among marine mammals in California.that began in 2020 has led to the deaths of millions of domesticated birds and spread to wildlife around the world, andto the disease. The virus has led to the deaths of thousands of sea lions in Chile and Peru, thousands of elephant seals in Argentina, and hundreds of seals in New England in recent years. The virus is considered to be a low risk to humans, but officials said people should avoid approaching the seals and keep pets away from the animals. Thousands of elephant seals come to Año Nuevo State Park, about 90 minutes south of San Francisco, every winter to fight, mate and give birth. The annual spectacle draws tourists and wildlife watchers eager to see the largest seals on the planet, some watching from public viewing areas and others signing up for docent-led guided walks through the breeding grounds, known as rookeries. But for now, the viewing area is closed, and tours at Año Nuevo have been canceled “out of an abundance of caution,” said Jordan Burgess, the deputy district superintendent of the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Officials hope the move will help prevent any spread of the disease that might be caused by people tracking through the areas where the elephant seals are living, she said. “We’re definitely not panicking about human exposure at this point,” but rather trying to ensure the health of the seals and people in general, Burgess said. Christine Johnson, the director of the Institute for Pandemic Insights at UC Davis’ Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, said the outbreak was spotted quickly because researchers have been on high alert in recent years, watching for any sign of the arrival of the disease. After sick and dead animals were spotted on Feb. 19 and 20, researchers collected samples for testing at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System. The screening showed the animals were infected with HPAI H5N1 virus.The university researchers are working with state and federal wildlife managers and The West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network to monitor the animals.Boone is a correspondent who covers breaking news, the courts, accountability issues and more for The Associated Press. She is based in Boise, Idaho.
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