Bird flu has been on the rise in Washington state and one sanctuary was hit hard: 20 big cats – more than half of the facility’s population – died over the course of weeks.

A Washington state wildlife sanctuary is mourning the deaths of 20 wildcats amid a bird flu outbreak as the virus infects poultry farms, dairy cattle and some people across the nation. The Wild Felid Advocacy Center of Washington in Shelton,

A big cat sanctuary in Washington has suffered "significant losses" among the animals in its care after what it said was an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)—also known as bird flu.