Bar headed geese latest victim of avian influenza

High altitude birds, particularly the Bar Headed Geese that are frequent visitors to the wetlands in the state are the latest victims of the Avian Influenza or bird flu, an official of the forest department said on Monday.

Union Ministry for Environment, Forest & Climate Change has requested all the states to take preventive measures and control the spread of the influenza as also detect and report cases of bird deaths to the authorities for necessary action.

Over 2,000 Bar Headed Geese were found dead in Pong Dam lake in Himachal. More than 4.00 lakh birds died in Haryana. Over 1.20 lakh ducks died in Kerala. The strains of bird flu confirmed are H5N8 and H5N1. These strains are zoonotic and have the potential to spread to humans also.

As restorative measures, the field officers in the state have been asked to collect the carcasses of birds, pack them safely and send these to veterinary science laboratories for analysis. The general public has been requested to be alert and if any dead bird is noticed, the information should be passed on to the wildlife crime control cell at Aranya Bhavan, Hyderabad on toll-free 1800-425-5364.

The Nehru Zoo Park and the Kakatiya Zoo have taken prophylactic measures like the spread of bleaching and lime powder around enclosures, as also maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in the area. Bird sections in the zoos have been closed to the public and only animalkeepers protected with PPE kits are permitted to provide feed and water.