Avian influenza has been confirmed in three baby red foxes in separate southeastern Michigan counties.
Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources said Thursday the kits in Lapeer, Macomb and St. Clair counties were confirmed Wednesday to have died from the HPAI virus.
They are the first confirmation by the state of the virus in wild mammals.
The fox kits were collected from dens between April 1-14.
Michigan DNR wildlife veterinarian Megan Moriarty says the viruses “may occasionally transmit from birds to mammals, as occurred in these cases."
Avian influenza has been detected in backyard flocks and commercial poultry facilities, and in wild birds in more than 30 states.