Bird Flu and Fur Farms: A Dangerous Mix

Avian influenza, or bird flu (H5N1), is a highly contagious and often deadly virus first found in 1996 in China. It spread to poultry farms worldwide between 2003 and 2005. In 2024, a new strain called H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b spread quickly, affecting farms globally. By June 2024, the CDC reported that more than 96 million birds were affected by avian influenza, including more than 131 million domestic birds that died or were culled in 2022. In the U.S., nearly 82 million birds were slaughtered due to outbreaks in 47 states.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A H5N1 is a severe type of bird flu caused by certain viruses. In January 2022, the USDA confirmed HPAI in wild waterfowl along the Atlantic flyway (the north-south route that migratory birds in North America follow each year as they travel from Greenland to South America and the Caribbean) and later in a turkey flock in Indiana. Since then, HPAI has been found in various bird flocks across multiple states. In May 2023, the WHO highlighted the need for global monitoring of avian influenza due to its potential threat to human health. From January 2003 to May 2024, there were 254 reported human cases of H5N1 virus infection in four countries, with 141 fatalities (a mortality rate of 56%). Overall, there were 889 cases reported globally from January 2003 to May 2024, resulting in 463 deaths (a mortality rate of 52%).

Avian Influenza Viruses Spread Easily to Minks

Avian influenza viruses don’t spread well in humans, but they can adapt if they infect another species. The main risk to humans is still through contact with infected birds or surfaces. Virologist Thomas Peacock warns that if H5N1 spreads among minks, it could become airborne and more dangerous, unlike if it spread only among poultry.

HPAI was first found in 2022 at a fur farm in Galicia, Spain, likely from mink contact with an infected wild bird. The outbreak affected more than 50,000 minks, and the identified viruses belonged to clade 2.3.4.4b, which is responsible for an ongoing disease outbreak among animals in Europe. This was the first case of HPAI spreading between mammals, raising concerns about human transmission. The first case of mammal-to-human transmission happened in April 2024 through a dairy cow. In July 2023, HPAI was detected on 27 fur farms in Finland, affecting silver and blue foxes, American minks, and raccoon dogs. Infected animals showed serious symptoms indicating the virus spread to their organs. By 2024, HPAI had been confirmed on over 70 fur farms in Europe, leading to the culling of more than 500,000 animals for public health safety.

U.S. Mink Farms Are a Ticking Time-Bomb for Avian Influenza

Authorities have yet to require testing for HPAI on U.S. fur farms, so the extent to which HPAI exists on fur farms in the U.S. remains unknown. HPAI can be present in minks without showing symptoms, making it hard to detect. Using a “wait and see” or “response-based” strategy is an irresponsible and dangerous strategy, leaving too much uncertainty in the future with so much at stake for humanity should HPAI continue spreading at fur farms around the world. Therefore, the only solution that makes sense remains to ban fur farming globally—for good.

For more information on the dangers of fur farming and its risks to public health, read our report, Risky Business: The Danger of Zoonotic Disease in the Fur Trade.

Keep Wildlife in the Wild,
Devan