Overview
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed seven weaned pups positive after abnormal respiratory and neurological signs were observed on Feb. 19–20.
- Roughly 30 elephant seals have been found dead at the park, and additional samples from suspected cases are pending laboratory results.
- California State Parks closed seal-viewing areas and canceled docent-led tours for the remainder of the breeding season, while other parts of the park remain open with refunds available.
- UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, NOAA Fisheries, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network are coordinating testing and ongoing coastal surveillance.
- Officials advise the public not to touch live or dead seals and to keep pets away, noting past catastrophic H5N1 die-offs in related southern elephant seals in Argentina as context for heightened vigilance.