Blue Foxes Culled During Finland's Bird Flu Outbreak

The Republic of Finland recently reported another H5N1 avian influenza outbreak at a fur farm involving blue foxes. This outbreak, reported by EuroNews on August 24, 2023, increases the number of 'bird flu' outbreaks at such farms to 23.

In June 2023, several outbreaks of H5N1 were identified among larids in Finland. The first cases in fur farms were detected in July.

Given these findings, the Finnish authorities decided to cull 120,000 foxes and mink on farms affected by the epidemic.

Finland is Europe's leading producer of fox fur, with around 400 fur farms. For example, FashionFinFur is owned by a fur-farming family in Vörå, Finland, that has been In the business since the 1980s.

In the northern hemisphere, bird flu outbreaks among birds, mammals, and people continue in 2023.

As of August 2023, access to bird flu vaccines is controlled by government agencies.