Blythe Terrell

So we're finding this new bird flu in all these different animals. But the important thing that happens next in our story is when it shows up in this particular mammal.

Okay.

Okay.

So we don't know for sure, but it could be that seals live along the shorelines, like along the waterline. And you also get a ton of birds who live and hang out in that same space, right? So we're thinking, oh, maybe the birds are crapping on or near the water and the seals are like, maybe they're licking it up. Maybe they're swimming in like bird crap infested waters or whatever.

So we don't know for sure, but it could be that seals live along the shorelines, like along the waterline. And you also get a ton of birds who live and hang out in that same space, right? So we're thinking, oh, maybe the birds are crapping on or near the water and the seals are like, maybe they're licking it up. Maybe they're swimming in like bird crap infested waters or whatever.

Yeah. And, well, the thing is that it wasn't just the dead seals that, like, freaked people out here because they were sad about seals. The important thing was that the seals started giving this virus to each other. Oh. So they think it wasn't just, like, one seal sucks up some bird crap, another one does, another one does. They think the seals were actually spreading it.

Yeah. And, well, the thing is that it wasn't just the dead seals that, like, freaked people out here because they were sad about seals. The important thing was that the seals started giving this virus to each other. Oh. So they think it wasn't just, like, one seal sucks up some bird crap, another one does, another one does. They think the seals were actually spreading it.

And this kind of thing is pretty unusual. You know, bird flu going mammal to mammal. It's not the first time. But scientists start to worry that this could help it mutate to where it could go human to human.

And this kind of thing is pretty unusual. You know, bird flu going mammal to mammal. It's not the first time. But scientists start to worry that this could help it mutate to where it could go human to human.

Okay, so at this point, when we start to see all these dead seals, I asked Seema, like, how she was feeling. And she actually said she was not freaking out. It's not terrifying yet.

Okay, so at this point, when we start to see all these dead seals, I asked Seema, like, how she was feeling. And she actually said she was not freaking out. It's not terrifying yet.

Exactly. Also, I mean, humans don't hang around seals all that much, right? So we have a low chance of getting it from them. Which kind of leads me to what you might be wondering, which is when does it get terrifying for people like Seema?

Exactly. Also, I mean, humans don't hang around seals all that much, right? So we have a low chance of getting it from them. Which kind of leads me to what you might be wondering, which is when does it get terrifying for people like Seema?

Why is she worried about cattle? I believe that's actually what farmers call them, is the seals of the land. You know, those big eyes, you know. Sure. Charismatic megafauna. Yes. The reason, so I asked Seema that question. I asked why the cows matter.

Why is she worried about cattle? I believe that's actually what farmers call them, is the seals of the land. You know, those big eyes, you know. Sure. Charismatic megafauna. Yes. The reason, so I asked Seema that question. I asked why the cows matter.

We've got cattle all over this country. We have people giving them medicine, helping them give birth, milking them, feeding them, tending them when they're sick.

We've got cattle all over this country. We have people giving them medicine, helping them give birth, milking them, feeding them, tending them when they're sick.

But there's also other reasons why scientists kind of freak out when the cows get it. And one of them is that as far as we knew, cows generally like did not get this kind of flu. So this bird flu belongs to this group of flus known as influenza A's, which just like are not much of a thing in cows.

But there's also other reasons why scientists kind of freak out when the cows get it. And one of them is that as far as we knew, cows generally like did not get this kind of flu. So this bird flu belongs to this group of flus known as influenza A's, which just like are not much of a thing in cows.

I mean, one virologist actually told me that people in his science community, they would like test cows for influenza A and he would like laugh at them because he was like, it was so dumb to think that a cow could get this kind of flu.