Chicken, eggs may be back on zoo menu

Following reports of completion of culling of fowls in Bidar district, where bird flu was reported, Mysuru zoo authorities are mulling over bringing chicken and eggs back on the menu of its animals and birds.

The zoo had stopped procurement of live fowls and eggs from the market as a preventive measure. Chief veterinarian and assistant director Ramesh told The Hindu that the culling operations had been completed at Bidar. “We are in touch with the scientists from the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, Bengaluru, whose experts oversaw the operations at Bidar. We have got a message that the danger is over. A final call will be taken soon since we have to be extra careful,” Dr. Ramesh said.

The zoo procures live fowls, which are subjected to screening by the vets for certification before they are slaughtered and fed to the animals. “Though all necessary precautions are in place, we have to careful since we have over 80 species of animals and birds,” he said. Chicken is fed in small quantities along with beef to large carnivores, he said. He said there were no reports of unnatural death or sickness among birds either at the zoo or Karanji Lake Nature Park.

Chicken is fed in small quantities along with beef to large carnivores, says official

Chicken, eggs may be back on zoo menu

The procurement was stopped following a suspected bird flu outbreak in Bidar