The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says three animals in Cornwall have tested positive for the avian influenza virus.
Preliminary lab results on a bobcat and two red-tailed hawks that were found dead tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus infection. A confirming secondary test could take several weeks for the department to receive.
The avian influenza virus has been reported in wild birds in Vermont since 2022, but the positive test on the bobcat is the first detected in a mammal in Vermont.
The Fish and Wildlife Department notes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk to people from the virus remains low.
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Management Program Manager David Sausville recommends people avoid direct contact with wild birds.