A Florida dolphin was discovered with “highly pathogenic” bird flu, according to a study.

This dolphin was the first cetacean ever recorded with the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, also known as HPAIV, in North America. This discovery, which was made by University of Florida researchers, is detailed in a paper in the online journal Communications Biology.

The study examined the first U.S. finding of HPAIV in a cetacean, from when it was first detected by marine rescue teams to the diagnosis of the virus and the samples found in a postmortem exam. Scientists fear that a spread of bird flu “could be catastrophic” for cetaceans, the study said.

This dolphin was first found “in distress” in March 2022 after it became stuck in a Dixie…