Here comes H5N1! The current bird flu epidemic, which most believe began in 2020, has successfully globetrotted very quickly. Millions of poultry – 90 million and counting in the US alone – have been culled in a futile attempt to limit spread of the virus. While Avian flu viruses tend to be wild bird specific, the current strain is more egalitarian and has quickly infiltrated a wide array of flocks, as well as squirrels, skunks, dolphins, polar bears and now dairy cows.