CROW: Bird flu strain killed cam-star eaglets
The Southwest Florida Eagle Cam eaglets died of a strain of the bird flu, according to officials with the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) on Sanibel.
CROW is watching the adult mated pair to determine whether they have been infected as well.
CROW released the results of its necropsies at a news conference on Jan. 30 at the Church of the Nazarene on Bayshore Road next to the Pritchett Farm, where the eagles nest in North Fort Myers.
The eaglets, E24 and E25, tested positive for HPAI — highly pathogenic Avian Influenza — a disease that causes high mortality to susceptible birds, according to CROW Research and Medical Director Dr. Jessica Comolli.
“It usually includes poultry but also many wild birds. This strain is a highly pathogenic form of the H5N1 virus, which has caused catastrophic losses in the birds they affect,” she said. “While waterfowl can shed the virus, others, like birds of prey, are highly susceptible and can succumb rapidly.”
Comolli said the disease can be transmitted through feces and respiratory secretions of an infected bird. It can also be carried by contaminated objects.
Humans can contract the disease.
“The eaglets likely contracted the disease by eating an infected bird,” she said.
The eagles bring food up to the nest for the eaglets, which had just started to feed themselves. This brings the possibility that M15 and F23 could be infected. They are being monitored closely.
Comolli said signs of infection include weakness, loss of appetite, breathing difficulty, inability to stand or fly, and neurological signs like seizures.
If the public finds a weak or grounded eagle or other wildlife, they are asked to contact CROW at 239-322-5068 or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at 888-404-3922.
CROW could intervene, if necessary.
The eaglets died soon after they began exhibiting symptoms.
E24 showed signs of distress on Jan. 26 at about 6:41 p.m. and passed quickly.
CROW Executive Director Alison Charney Hussey said they got state and federal permission to remove the corpse from the nest on Jan. 27 for the health and safety of the remaining family.
They did not have permission to remove E25, however, since the eaglet showed no signs of illness or stress at the time. The eaglet did retreat to the end of the nest, which was when CROW veterinarians left the nest area, she said.
The morning of Jan. 28, E25 showed the same symptoms as exhibited by E24 and suffered a seizure before falling out of the nest. CROW officials returned and discovered the eaglet had died.
Hussey said it is a devastating loss to the community.
“We share with the public the grief over the eaglets and we wanted to make sure everyone knew that we are dedicated to treating the wildlife and telling you what happened,” she said.
Dedicated eagle followers created a memorial for the lives of the two eaglets on benches dedicated to the memory of previous eagles, including the original stars of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, Ozzie and Harriet.
Southwest Florida Eagle Cam founder Virginia Pritchett-McSpadden also attended the news conference and said after 13 seasons of the program, it is the worst they have seen having both eaglets die so suddenly.
“It’s been heartbreaking for all our viewers and our family who have run the camera,” she said. “We’re so appreciative of CROW and the FWC for providing answers.”
Pritchett-McSpadden said the future of the eagle cam is unknown because of the possibility of the adults being infected.
“With the loss of the eaglets, we also mourn the potential loss of the Eagle Cam because we are fighting for the future of M15 and F23. We don’t know what this influenza can do. We’ll have to wait and see and hope for the best,” Pritchett-McSpadden said.