A dead northern gannet found in P.E.I. in June 2022.

In light of recurrent avian flu cases on P.E.I., residents have been urged to remain vigilant and report any sightings of sick or dying birds and animals. The H5N1 virus subtype was first noted in P.E.I in March 2022, when a bald eagle found on the Island’s North Shore tested positive for the disease. By May 2022, cases were confirmed in 23 birds and four fox kits had preliminary positive tests for avian flu.

As per CBC News, despite a decrease in submissions to labs, avian flu remains a present concern on the Island. “We’re still getting a handful of positive wild animals from P.E.I. every month. Anywhere from three to five animals per month have tested positive so far in 2024, for example,” says Megan Jones, regional director of the Atlantic region of the Canadian Wildlife Health Co-operative and assistant professor at Atlantic Veterinary College. “But certainly it’s still around, and we’re still detecting [it] regularly in dead wild animals.”

Despite a decrease in submissions to the lab, Megan Jones, Regional Director of the Atlantic region of the Canadian Wildlife Health Co-operative, stresses that avian flu remains a present concern, with several wild animals testing positive each month.

Jones outlines the most commonly affected species include crows and Canada geese. There have even been confirmed cases among birds like snowy owls, raptors, eagles, and red-tailed hawks. Additionally, mammals such as skunks, raccoons, and foxes have also shown susceptibility to the virus, often contracting it after consuming the carcasses of infected birds.