LAKELAND, Fla. — While people typically visit Lake Morton to feed the swans, experts recommend admiring the beloved birds from afar.

As bird flu cases spread across the U.S., Lakeland’s royal swans may be at risk.

Dr. Price Dickson, veterinarian at My Pet’s Animal Hospital, started caring for the 53 swans at Lake Morton in 2019. However, recently she and other experts have become concerned about their health due to bird flu.

“Like any flu, it can be fatal and unfortunately bird flu can also affect the nervous system, causing seizures, high fevers, and other symptoms, as well as respiratory effects,” she said.

Thankfully, Dr. Dickson says swans prefer social distancing, unlike ducks and pelicans. However, they could come into contact with wild birds migrating from other areas. She says this increases the risk of the virus spreading through the swan population and to peoples’ pets.

“If we’re touching a bird and we get the virus on our hands, and touch mouths, noses, or bring it home and touch a cat or a bird, then that can be transmitted through mucous membranes,” Dr. Dickson said.

Though no bird flu cases have been reported in Polk County so far, she advises the community to take extra precautions when visiting the lake.

“If they are doing things like feeding the ducks and then going and feeding the swans, try to use hand sanitizer, or wash their hands in between, or just throw the food on the ground rather than getting them to do beak-to-hand touching,” she said.

Dr. Dickson recommends people be on the lookout for bird flu symptoms, like their pets sneezing, showing fatigue, or having seizures. In the meantime, she and the city will do their part to keep the swans around for years to come.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also working on a vaccine to stop the virus from spreading.