Photo: Courtesy of BPZOO/Buttonwood Park Zoo
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A harbor seal at The Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford died after testing positive for bird flu.
In a statement, zoo officials announced Wednesday that Blue, a 21-yeal-old harbor seal, likely contracted the virus through contact with wild birds.
They added that there are no viral risks for visitors and other animals, including Blue’s habitat mates, Conway and Luna.
“They were separated from Blue as soon as symptoms appeared, and BPZOO had already taken proactive steps to reduce the risk of HPAI, including removing public duck feeders and relocating vulnerable species in areas behind the scenes,” the zoo said.
Meanwhile, MassWildlife said Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus, also know as avian flu or bird flu, rarely infects humans. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most of the reported cases in Massachusetts in 2025 are within wild birds.
State wildlife officials are urging residents to report cases of dead birds to the agency.
For more information on how to report infected birds, visit here.
WBZ NewsRadio's Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.