A few vulture carcasses in Maryland have tested positive for avian influenza, also known as bird flu. The carcasses of black vultures were found on a property near Fisherman’s Park. According to the company, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) tested the animals for bird flu.

“[Vultures] migrate here this time of year, and sometimes they migrate here and never make it back to where they came from. It’s sad,” said park visitor Dominick Sottile.

Recently, the United Kingdom reported the world’s first case of HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) in sheep, while the United States is grappling with a domestic cat bird flu outbreak due to contaminated pet food.

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According to Constellation, the company that operates the Conowingo Dam, most of the dead birds were found on the Wildflower trailhead and the Mason-Dixon trail between the Overlook parking area and Fisherman’s Park. No dead birds were found near the fishing wharf on the Conowingo Dam. The hiking trail was shut down on Tuesday after the bird flu confirmation had been declared.

The closures are in place to prevent people from walking or biking through the area and potentially coming in contact with infected birds. The company is advising visitors to avoid contact with wild birds, especially ones that are dead or acting erratically.

“They’re important, they’re important in terms of the entire ecosystem. They’re part of the chain of life,” said visitor Bobby Cox, according to a report by CBS News. 

Fisherman’s Park is still open, but the Wildflower trailhead and the Mason-Dixon trail between the Overlook parking area and Fisherman’s Park are temporarily closed to prevent the spread of bird flu, according to Constellation.

The closures are in place to prevent people from walking or biking through the area and potentially coming in contact with infected birds. The company is advising visitors to avoid contact with wild birds, especially ones that are dead or acting erratically. –CBS News

“It’s nature, I can’t control it,” said Kevin, a visitor. “Maybe, netting them all, we could give them a shot so they wouldn’t get sick. But who’s to say…one bird dies and one eats it, it’s just going to continue. So they need to figure something out.”

With bird flu spreading to new species, how much longer do we have until a mutation shuts down human society once again?