Overview
- The Norwegian Veterinary Institute, which reported the results Tuesday, identified H5N5 in a dead one-year-old polar bear and a walrus found on Svalbard in mid-May.
- The Governor of Svalbard said virus found in brain samples from both animals was consistent with the infection likely causing their deaths.
- Researchers are analyzing the viruses for mammal-adaptive changes, noting mammals can be exposed through contact with infected birds or by scavenging carcasses.
- The detection is Europe’s first polar bear case, following a 2023 polar bear infection in Alaska and earlier Svalbard detections in walruses and Arctic foxes.
- Authorities said the ongoing bird flu wave has killed or prompted the culling of about 140 million animals since January 2025, raising concern for wildlife, farms and potential spillover to people.