Bird flu has been found in two dead grey seals on the north Norfolk coast of England. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) said wild birds in the area had also tested positive.

The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said four seals were found dead at Blakeney Point, with two of them found to have the virus.  The APHA insisted there was “no evidence to suggest an increased risk to non-avian wildlife”, the BBC reported.

However, a statement on its website said mammals that had been in close contact with infected wild birds remained at risk of infection.

Photo: Silke

A spokesperson for the National Trust, which looks after Blakeney Point, said: “We are working closely with APHA and Defra and keeping the situation under review.” The deaths mark the first time the disease has been found in mammals at a National Trust site, the charity has confirmed.

During 2023, the government said a number of mammals were infected, including otters and dolphins. Some of these mammals were known to scavenge dead or dying birds. The highly infectious variant of H5N1 is estimated to have killed millions of wild birds since 2021, and has spread to mammals and caused mass die-offs in sea lions and elephant seal pups.

“Devastating impact”

The UK’s grey seal population is globally significant as it is home to 38% of the world’s population, the Guardian reported. Seals already face various pressures, from plastic pollution to a reduction in foraging and habitat areas caused by climate breakdown. Bird flu can kill seals by causing pneumonia and encephalitis.

Dani Clifford, a marine conservation officer at the Wildlife Trusts, said: “Bird flu has had, and will continue to have, devastating impacts on birds, but we’re also concerned about the spread to marine mammals. Monitoring these animals is important to help us to understand the spread of bird flu, but what’s more important is that pressures on wildlife are reduced in the first place. This includes ensuring seals are not disturbed by people and dogs, and ensuring marine protected areas are safe from damaging activities.”

The National Trust has asked visitors to Blakeney Point to keep their dogs on a lead as a precaution, and not to touch sick or dying wildlife.