Norwegian authorities confirmed the detection of the avian influenza H5N5 variant in a male polar bear about one year old and a walrus found dead in mid-May 2026 on the Svalbard archipelago, roughly 1,000 km from the North Pole [1, 2]. The presence of the highly pathogenic virus in brain samples strongly suggests it caused the deaths of both animals, according to the Governor of Svalbard, who said the virus was "very likely the cause of their deaths" [1].

The findings mark Europe’s first confirmed bird flu case in a polar bear. Dr. Ragnhild Tonnessen, bird flu coordinator at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, said the detections are part of a broader trend of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses increasingly appearing in mammals across Europe and spreading to new regions including the Arctic. She noted that this spread could have consequences for vulnerable wildlife populations and ecosystems [1].

The polar bear and walrus carcasses surfaced in Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago under Norwegian sovereignty. They were found dead in mid-May 2026, and tests confirmed infection with the H5N5 bird flu strain [1, 2]. This follows earlier cases in 2023, when a walrus died from bird flu in Svalbard and a polar bear succumbed to the virus in Alaska [1, 2].

Globally, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) reported that 140 million animals died or were culled due to avian influenza in nearly 70 countries from January 2025 through March 2026 [1]. The virus's increasing detection among non-avian species raises the risk of transmission to humans, although that risk level remains under study [1].

The Arctic region’s new exposure to bird flu strains highlights how the virus is reaching previously unaffected wildlife areas, posing new challenges for conservation and public health authorities. Norwegian veterinary officials continue to monitor the situation closely.

Norwegian authorities announced the detection publicly on May 19, 2026, signaling heightened awareness of the virus’s reach into Arctic mammals [1]. They plan ongoing surveillance in the region to better understand the virus’s impact and track potential new cases.