The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture’s Wildlife Division has partnered with Memorial University to conduct testing for avian influenza in furbearers.

Trappers are encouraged to submit skinned carcasses of red fox, arctic fox, weasel, beaver, lynx, Labrador marten, mink, muskrat, and otter.

Memorial University will provide a $10 carcass collection payment for each specimen submitted, up to a total of 1,000 specimens. This program will only apply for the remainder of the 2024/25 trapping season.

Payment eligibility is on a first-received basis until payment forms for 1,000 registered carcasses have been collected (500 from Labrador and 500 from the Island of Newfoundland). Payments will be issued at the end of the collection process.

Carcasses can be submitted to any Forestry and Wildlife office. 

While the likelihood of becoming infected with avian influenza virus is low, individuals should still be cautious when handling wildlife.