Friday, December 16, 2011

Birsa zoo aviary closed to stem #H5N1 spread

Birsa zoo aviary closed to stem H5N1 spread
The increase in the number of deaths of crows in the State has put Birsa zoo authorities on high alert. The aviary of the biological park has been closed down for the time being and the Government has imposed a notice highlighting the issue and has asked the authorities to shut the aviary so that the virus is not passed on to humans.
Notices have been put up all over the park informing visitors about the avian flu outbreak and requesting people not to litter garbage so that the entry of the crows in the zoo premises can be controlled. Cleanliness is the main priority of the zoo authorities right now.
There are 10-15 cleaners that can be seen all over the premises taking care of litter. Earlier they did not receive any confirmation letter regarding bird flu but now, the H5N1 outbreak is becoming a panicky issue for the authorities.
There are various precautions that are being taken by the zoo authorities to restrict the entry of crows in the premises and prevent the spread of bird flu. Director, Birsa Munda Biological Park, PK Verma said, “We are keeping a proper check on the entry of crows by proper disposal of waste and we make sure that the garbage is properly burnt. The cleaners have been alerted all over the zoo.”
Proper medications of the birds are also being ensured by the authorities. “Antibiotics are given to the birds and antiviral drugs are sprayed both inside and outside the cages. Some medicines are mixed in the food and given to the birds. Soil treatment is done by the zoo authorities inside the cage.
 H5N1 is transferrable to humans therefore the aviary needed a temporary closure. But we can take a sigh of relief about the fact that birds have neither died nor fallen sick”, added Verma.
A central team of animal husbandry from Bhopal is taking stock of the situation. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/ranchi/28314-birsa-zoo-aviary-closed-to-stem-h5n1-spread.html

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