The Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad has raised the vigil on its premises as a preventive measure against avian bird flu as the Delhi Zoo and Gwalior zoo grapple with a fresh outbreak that has killed dozens of birds over the past few days. The disease has also reportedly spread to a few areas in Rajasthan.
“We have taken a number of steps to protect the birds in the zoo. We are screening visitors, sprinkling disinfectants and destroying all the animal waste as a preventive step against the disease which can easily take a virulent form,” said M. A. Hakim of Assistant Director of Nehru Zoological Park.
Among the aggressive step taken by the zoo to keep the disease at bay is: “Screening of visitors and not allowing poultry farmers and visitors from poultry industry to enter the zoo. The bio-security measure also involves restriction of movement of visitors in the aviary area,” said a zoo official.
“The disease is spread by migratory water birds and we are keeping a watch on the movement of migratory birds which usually come to the country around this time of the year for nesting,” said Mr. Hakim. The zoo has also strung up reflective ribbons in and around the aviary area to keep out free ranging birds. The night houses have been whitewashed as another step in improving the hygiene to keep the disease at bay, according to the official. The birds in the zoo are also being given antibiotics in food for seven days as a preventive step.
The Delhi zoo has been shut down for the past few days as over a dozen birds perished due to the outbreak of avian flu.
We are screening visitors, sprinkling disinfectants and destroying all animal waste as prevention because the disease can easily take a virulent form”
M. A. Hakim,Assistant Director of Nehru Zoological Park
