Avian Influenza and Wildlife

New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection says more than 1,100 dead or sick wild birds, almost all Canada geese, were reported across seven counties between Feb. 14 and Feb. 16, with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strongly suspected pending lab results. The deaths have prompted temporary closures of parks including Betty Park and Alcyon Park in Gloucester County, and local officials are warning residents not to approach or handle geese. State guidance lists diarrhea, coughing, sneezing and loss of coordination as common HPAI symptoms in birds, while experts note that some animals may die without obvious illness and that recent spillovers into dairy cattle and cats show the virus is circulating beyond wild flocks. Infectious‑disease specialists quoted in the piece stress that current risk to humans is low but urge people to avoid direct contact with sick or dead birds, keep pets away from affected areas, wear gloves if contact is unavoidable and wash hands thoroughly afterward. The outbreak underscores ongoing bird‑flu circulation in U.S. wildlife and the potential threat to nearby poultry operations, at a time when farmers and public‑health agencies are already on edge from prior HPAI outbreaks in commercial flocks.