Bird flu found in second dead polar bear on Svalbard

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has found bird flu virus in a second, young polar bear on Svalbard, the Governor said. The bear was found dead on Æøya near Virgohamna and sampled in June. The virus was detected in brain and nose samples, and rabies virus was not detected. The Governor said the two finds lie about 23 km apart.

The first case came on 19 May, when the Governor said the Norwegian Veterinary Institute had found the H5N5 virus in a polar bear and a walrus, both dead, in Raudfjorden. The bear was a one-year-old male. The Governor called it the first confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) in polar bears in Europe.

Polar Journal reported on 18 October 2026 that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said on 5 October 2026 that a team led by Andrew Ramey had studied H5 infection in polar bears in Alaska, including antibodies that may point to earlier exposure. The study appeared in the journal iScience. Polar Journal wrote that the extent of the threat to the populations is still unclear.

Coverage: PravdaReport, Polar Journal, High North News