Bird flu scare: Mysuru zoo, Karanji Lake on alert

The century-old Mysuru zoo and the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary are on alert within the wake of reviews of chicken flu in neighbouring Kerala.

“Irrespective of the scare, bio-security measures are a permanent feature at the zoo and all protocols are being followed notwithstanding the reports. In view of the pandemic situation, more safety measures are in place,” mentioned zoo Executive Director Ajit Kulkarni.

The zoo administration has been adhering to the well being and security requirements on a every day foundation no matter chicken flu scare or no scare after the chicken flu episode in January 2017 when the zoo needed to be shut down for a few month as a precaution. The scare doesn’t matter a lot to it since all security precautions are in place around the yr. However, the final alert is in place following the instructions from the federal government, particularly with COVID-19 pandemic scenario but to be over.

The zoo has made it a apply for the reason that final three years to ship the blood samples and chicken droppings for routine checks each month to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, one of many high labs within the nation, after the 2017 incident. It has been sustaining the well being knowledge of all birds for 3 years.

“Now that there is a scare, we would send the samples once in 15 days instead of a month,” Mr. Kulkarni mentioned, including that the birds on the zoo and on the Karanji Lake Nature Park (the place there’s a walk-through aviary) are in good well being with the vets and keepers screening them nearly every day.

The zoo authorities are additionally protecting a watch on the migratory birds roosting on the Karanji Lake, which is a house to winged beauties that migrate to the water physique. Biosecurity measures are in place in each chicken enclosure on the zoo and on the park.

Three years in the past, the zoo was shut to hold out biosecurity measures after it was hit by avian influenza (H5N8). The zoo was closed from January 4, 2017 to February 2, 2017 on the recommendation of the consultants. The NIHSAD had confirmed avian influenza as the reason for the loss of life of some migratory birds in December 2016. Never within the historical past of Mysuru zoo was it out of bounds for vacationers for a few month.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department authorities in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary are additionally on alert over the chicken flu scare. The behaviour of birds nestling on the islands of the sanctuary are being watched and any unnatural loss of life of birds can be reported to the upper authorities for remedial measures. The customer space is being sanitised as a security precaution.

“Surveillance has been stepped up not just in Ranganathittu but also in Kokkrebellur near Maddur where a lot of migratory birds roost. As of now, the birds appear to be in good health and no sick or dead birds had been noticed. The precautions will continue,” sources within the Forest Department mentioned.

The villagers within the close by areas had been instructed to tell the forest authorities in case of any loss of life of birds in fields or water our bodies close to the chicken sanctuary.