this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2024
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A polar bear has been killed by bird flu as the highly contagious H5N1 virus spreads into the most remote parts of the planet.

The death was confirmed in December by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. “This is the first polar bear case reported, for anywhere,” Dr Bob Gerlach, Alaska’s state veterinarian, told the Alaska Beacon.

It was found near Utqiagvik, one of the northernmost communities in Alaska, two years after this latest strain was detected in North America. Gerlach said it was likely the bear was scavenging on the carcasses of infected birds.

. . .

The current outbreak of the highly infectious variant of H5N1 – which started in 2021 – is estimated to have killed millions of wild birds. Globally, thousands of mammals have also died of the virus, including black bears and brown bears. Bald eagles, foxes and kittiwakes are among the species to have died of the virus in Alaska in recent months.

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[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 26 points 8 months ago (5 children)

I would really appreciate help processing this.

[–] Kalkaline@leminal.space 41 points 8 months ago (2 children)

The bird is sick, bird dies, bear eats bird, bear dies.

It shows that this particular influenza strain can infect both bears and birds.

Wash your hands, stay home if you're sick, don't eat birds that have died from influenza.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Ok, but... polar bears eat birds?

[–] Kalkaline@leminal.space 26 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Polar bears aren't picky where their calories come from and they need a lot of them.

[–] girlfreddy@lemmy.ca 8 points 8 months ago

Also we should take into account the lack of sea ice which means the bears can't hunt marine food sources.

[–] vxx@lemmy.world 15 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Yes, pretty much anything that is available.

Polar bears have evolved to prey on seals. But they are curious and will eat other foods when available — including geese, bird eggs, whales that wash up on the beach, and even the occasional small mammal.

https://polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bears-changing-arctic/polar-bear-facts/diet-prey/

[–] MelodiousFunk@startrek.website 6 points 8 months ago

If only AI summaries were half as good as this.

And if you're a bot... fucking bravo.

[–] ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world 11 points 8 months ago

It also means that the virus in the dead bird was readily able to bypass whatever gastrointestinal protections that bear had to prevent its own food borne illness.

[–] Z3k3@lemmy.world 8 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Polar bears are birds.

In seriousness I don't know if this is fucked up or just something that happens sometimes.

[–] Jaderick@lemmy.world 9 points 8 months ago

Viruses can jump between species , especially if their target proteins are non-specific. It’s not necessarily rare, but nonetheless destructive.

[–] OpenStars@discuss.online 2 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Lol, polar bears aren't real. :-P

[–] Z3k3@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

Wait I thought birds wer.... ohhhh

[–] I_Miss_Daniel@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

That might be true in the future.

[–] OpenStars@discuss.online 5 points 8 months ago

Gulp, like anyone I do enjoy being right, but dayum in this case I very much hope that I am wrong!?!? :-P

[–] quindraco@lemm.ee 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

If the bird flu can penetrate the Arctic it can penetrate the Antarctic. If that happens we'll lose a lot of penguins, far more than we can "afford".

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

A lot of penguins aren't in the Antarctic, so it may already be spreading through populations in places like South Africa and the Galapagos Islands.

[–] gregorum@lemm.ee 26 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (3 children)

2020 - S05E02 - Polar Bear Bird Flu

A polar bear has been killed by bird flu as the highly contagious H5N1 virus spreads into the most remote parts of the planet. TV-MA, 52 mins

SHD, UHD, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Surround

[–] criticon@lemmy.ca 9 points 8 months ago (1 children)
[–] girlfreddy@lemmy.ca 2 points 8 months ago

Or casino blender dude interruptions instead.

[–] cm0002@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Imma wait till the season finale and binge watch then

[–] DanglingFury@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago (2 children)
[–] gregorum@lemm.ee 11 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

sadly, no…

2020 - S05E01 - Earthquake Aftershock Plane Crash [Season Premier]

The death toll from the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan’s west coast on Monday has risen to at least 30, according to Ishikawa prefecture authorities. More than 35 aftershocks greater than a magnitude of 2.5 have struck near the epicenter of Japan’s earthquake in the past 24 hours, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Later, Japan Airlines jet bursts into flames after collision with earthquake relief plane at Tokyo Haneda airport. TV-MA, 104 mins

SHD, UHD, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Surround

[–] DanglingFury@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You should make a series list of episodes, it's a pretty good format to remember all the crazy stuff that has rolled through lately

[–] gregorum@lemm.ee 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

check shitty headlines tomorrow!

[–] anonionfinelyminced@kbin.social 2 points 8 months ago

Ep. 1 was a clip show.

[–] TheDoozer@lemmy.world 21 points 8 months ago (1 children)

We still have polar bears?

[–] YoorWeb@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago

Not anymore.

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 14 points 8 months ago
[–] kinther@lemmy.world 14 points 8 months ago (2 children)

While H5N1 gaining the ability to spread human to human is scary, it is an influenza virus which doesn't mutate as quickly as coronaviruses do. We know how to make vaccines for the flu and have the ability to make one rather quickly.

[–] AlecSadler@sh.itjust.works 14 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Yeah except like 30% of the population is anti-vax :|

[–] Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

Well... Maybe that number will go lower.

[–] I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world 5 points 8 months ago

I volunteer to vaccinate the polar bears! 💉🐻‍❄️❄️

[–] BaardFigur@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Polar bear 2026 and Opium Bird 2027 are getting closer