First detection of bird flu in seals in Japan
25 April, 2025
Carcasses of seals in Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
This marks the first detection of the avian influenza virus in seals in Japan.
Four wild harbor seals were found dead along the shore in the city of Nemuro, located in eastern Hokkaido. Laboratory testing confirmed that two of the seals were positive for a highly pathogenic strain of the virus.
