Reports of dying geese in the Fraser Valley have prompted concerns about an avian flu outbreak in the area's wildlife population.

Elizabeth's Wildlife Center in Abbotsford said in a social media post that Canadian and cackling geese appear to be affected. The centre told CBC that in the last two weeks, they have been receiving up to 60 calls a day about dead geese sightings.

According to data collected by B.C. Wildlife and Environmental Surveillance, "There was a sharp increase in reports of sick and dead wild birds," with four positive detections in sediment at two separate wetlands in the Lower Mainland as of Oct. 25.

So far, there are no reports of avian flu among domestic birds or poultry farms in the province. 

Since Sept. 29, B.C.'s poultry industry has been at a red biosecurity level after the virus was detected on a farm in Alberta. B.C.’s Office of the Chief Veterinarian also issued an indoor order for commercial poultry, in place since Sept. 17, to minimize contact between wild and domestic birds.

The illness is highly contagious among birds, both domestic and wild, and can infect humans and mammals as well, though this is less common. B.C. has been heavily impacted by the disease in recent years—since 2021, more than 10 million birds in the province have died or have been culled due to avian flu.

In 2024, a teenager in the Fraser Valley became critically ill with avian flu, marking the first documented human case in the province. The B.C. Centre for Disease Control determined the virus the teen was infected with "most closely matches that of wild birds found in the Fraser Valley," specifically geese. 

Signs of avian flu in birds include:

Elizabeth's Wildlife Center shared additional tips for those who come across a deceased wild bird: don't bring sick wild animals into your home, keep pets away, and report any sightings of dead wildlife.

If you find a dead duck, swan, goose, raptor or three or more dead birds together, contact the Interagency Wild Bird Mortality Line at 1-866-431-2473.