IT has been confirmed that a dolphin that was found dead in Devon waters last month was killed by a new and concerning form of bird flu, making it the 23rd mammal to have been infected with the deadly new H5 HPAI variant. 

Another infected dolphin carcass was found in Pembrokeshire, Wales, at the same time. 

The dolphin was found as part of a routine wildlife surveillance. A spokesperson for Defra confirmed that: ‘The animals were found dead, and it is very likely they had predated on infected wild birds.

‘A sick or a dead wild bird can contain a significant amount of virus – and scavenging mammals that will be opportunistic and predate on infectious dead or sick birds can be exposed to very large quantities of virus. That gives a possibility for the virus to enter a host population that it doesn't normally maintain in.

‘In response to the unprecedented global outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza, the UK's avian influenza national reference laboratory has increased its surveillance of cases in mammals and genome analysis of the virus itself while keeping a close eye on its spread in global populations of wild birds.

‘Avian influenza viruses remains predominantly a pathogen that affects birds with a small number of cases of mammals being infected worldwide.

‘Evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission in the wild remains very limited and the available genomic surveillance data reported by APHA in the UK does not suggest widespread mammalian adaption of the virus.’

Several other so-called ‘spill-over cases’ were also found in mammals in the Westcountry last month. These include a red fox and five grey seals in Cornwall. 

Bird flu is a notifiable disease in poultry and other captive birds. If you should suspect the virus in poultry or other captive birds, you should report it immediately, by calling 03000 200 301 in England, 03003 038 268 if you’re in Wales or the local Field Services Office in Scotland.