Nine otters and foxes have been found in the UK with avian flu, according to data from the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
The animals are believed to have eaten dead wild birds that were infected with the virus. Experts have said the risk to the public is low.
Five foxes and four otters have tested positive for the virus in England, Scotland and Wales since 2021.
The first recorded case of avian flu in non-avian wildlife in the UK was a fox in Durham in 2021.
Read more: Otter cub in RSPCA care after rescue in County Durham
There were then seven cases of foxes and otters testing positive in 2022. These were one fox in Cheshire, two otters in Fife, one otter on the Shetland isles, one otter on the Isle of Skye, and two foxes in Cornwall.
There has only been one case so far in 2023, a fox in Powys.
Read next:
- Redcar & Cleveland Council ransomware attack could have cost millions
- Scotch Corner TV and film studio plans come under fire from objectors
- Stockton pensioner has passion re-ignited after visit from horse
If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to The Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here