Twenty big cats die after contracting bird flu at Washington State animal sanctuary

A serval pictured in Kenya. Twenty big cats, including five African servals, died after contracting bird flu at a Washington State sanctuary - (Getty Images)

Twenty big cats have died after contracting bird flu at a Washington State animal sanctuary.

The Wild Felid Advocacy Center of Washington in the city of Shelton announced the deaths on December 20. Just two weeks prior, officials confirmed the presence of bird flu in the sanctuary, which forced the center to close and quarantine.