(Butte County, CA) – The California Department of Fish & Wildlife reports that a bobcat found dead late last year in Butte County has tested positive for the highly pathogenic Eurasian strain of avian influenza H5N1 – the first detection of the virus in a wild mammal in our state.

The bobcat was GPS-collared as part of CDFW’s population study and biologists were alerted when it had stopped moving for an abnormal amount of time.

Elsewhere in the U.S. and Canada, detection of H5N1 have been made in carnivorous mammals over the past 12 months, including foxes, raccoon, skunks and bobcats. It was first detected in wild birds in California last July and has now been detected in 44 counties as well as in domestic flocks in 18 counties.

Transmission to humans is rare, but it’s advised you not handle dead birds.