EventStudy now shows polar bears in eastern Greenland have been infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza, with antibody prevalence rising from 21% in 2024 to 43% in 2025. Earlier U.S. work confirmed H5N1 infection in Alaskan bears.
A new study shows migratory Arctic birds may be spreading avian influenza to polar bears in eastern Greenland, with antibodies found in 21% of bears in 2024 and rising to 43% in 2025.
A U.S. Geological Survey study confirmed that polar bears in Alaska have been infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus, marking the first documented case of the disease affecting a large Arctic predator.
