HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA (HPAI)
The bird flu outbreak that emerged in the United States in early 2022 continues to impact Pennsylvania’s wildlife. While wild detections of HPAI waned in the summer and fall of 2024, bird flu mortality events involving waterfowl, particularly snow geese, and other highly susceptible birds like eagles, hawks, crows and vultures, were observed in late 2024 and continued into 2025. Additionally, HPAI has been detected in red fox. The virus remains a threat to not just wildlife, but also commercial and backyard domestic poultry, and due to its zoonotic nature, can impact human health. For more information from the Game Commission, as well as the Departments of Agriculture and Health, search “avian influenza” at PA.gov.
BE SAFE WHILE ENJOYING WILDLIFE & THE OUTDOORS
Like any animals, wildlife can carry diseases, some of which can be passed to domestic animals and humans. Following routine precautions will greatly reduce the risk of that happening. Hunters and trappers should never harvest or handle wildlife that appears sick, always practice good hygiene while handling and field-dressing wildlife, and cook wild meat to the proper temperature. Nonharvested wildlife found dead should not be handled. Whether dogs participate in hunting or just spend time outside, they should be kept current on vaccines and preventive medicines, as well as prevented from consuming environmental water, wildlife feces, or chewing on or consuming wildlife found sick or dead. While songbirds are susceptible to HPAI but not typically impacted during outbreaks, birdfeeders and baths should always be regularly emptied, cleaned, and disinfected to prevent the spread of disease.
REPORT WILDLIFE HEALTH INCIDENTS
The public can play a critical role in helping the Game Commission conduct wildlife health surveillance by reporting observations of sick or dead wildlife to 1-833-PGC-WILD. A field response is not guaranteed but the Game Commission and its partners prioritize investigating reports that involve sick or injured wildlife, potential exposure to zoonotic pathogens (e.g., rabies), or when significant disease concerns exist.
ONGOING WILDLIFE HEALTH RESEARCH
The Game Commission continues to collaborate with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine through the Wildlife Futures Program (www.vet.upenn.edu/wildlife-futures) to develop wildlife diagnostics, answer pressing wildlife health questions, and inform wildlife management strategies, while safeguarding and promoting wildlife health. In addition to collecting specimens during field investigations of wildlife mortalities, this research often needs specimens that can be collected from harvested wildlife; the current specimen request list can be found on the Wildlife Health section of the Game Commission’s website using the QR code below.
SURVEILLANCE CONTINUES FOR RHD
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2 (RHDV2), a virus that causes rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD), can spread rapidly and cause widespread mortality in wild and domestic rabbit and hare species. Since its emergence in wild populations in 2020, it has become endemic in 15 states across the Pacific, Rocky Mountain, Southwest, and Midwest regions of the United States. The Game Commission is taking proactive measures to reduce the likelihood of the disease emerging and spreading in the wild in Pennsylvania and has implemented an RHD Management Plan. You can help. If you observe two or more wild hares or rabbits that have died from an unknown cause at the same location and time, please contact the Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-WILD. For more information from the Game Commission and Department of Agriculture, search “rabbit hemorrhagic disease” at PA.gov.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WILDLIFE HEALTH & GET INVOLVED
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/wildlife/wildlife-health.html