Wildlife

Thousands of Snow Geese Die in Migration Over Idaho

About 2,000 snow geese fell dead from the sky in southeastern Idaho from an outbreak of what officials say was probably avian cholera.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game told reporters that the bacterial infection can cause convulsions and erratic flight among infected birds.

The geese were en route from their winter homes in the southwestern U.S. or Mexico to their summer breeding grounds in Alaska or Canada.

It’s unclear where they picked up the bacteria, which poses only a small risk to humans but can quickly spread through bird populations.

“The important thing is to quickly collect as many of the carcasses as possible, to prevent other birds from feeding on the infected birds,” said Steve Schmidt, a regional Idaho Fish and Game supervisor.