Avian Flu: No chicken for lions, tigers and other Hyderabad zoo inmates

Amid reports of the bird flu outbreaks, a series of measures have been initiated by the states in the last few days that included large scale culling of the birds, checks at borders to stop the entry of poultry and issuing advisories on safe consumption of eggs and chicken.

Hyderabad: Eggs and chicken are off the menu for the animals at Nehru Zoological Park with the avian flu widening its spread in different parts of the country.

Amid reports of the bird flu outbreaks, a series of measures have been initiated by the states in the last few days that included large scale culling of the birds, checks at borders to stop the entry of poultry and issuing advisories on safe consumption of eggs and chicken.

The Nehru Zoological Park authorities too have taken up preventive measures at the facility spread over 380 acres and house more than 1,400 animals apart from species at aviary and reptiles.

As a first step, the supply of eggs, chicks and raw chicken has been stopped for the carnivores in the zoo and they were being provided with alternatives. According to the zoo officials, chicken happens to be one of the main food sources for the carnivores, particularly the big cats, and around 60 kg to 70 kg of raw chicken used to be provided here every day.

“We are providing beef and where required mutton is being given to the carnivores,” said an official adding that about 300 kg beef is being procured for the animals every day. Mutton is being provided when required to sick animals while pork is fed as a diet change if an animal lose appetite for beef.

Zoo authorities said they were on alert and regularly monitoring the health of animals and birds. The premises were being regularly cleaned and sanitized and antiviral and antibiotics given to the big cats.

“We have the situation at the zoo under control and we are monitoring reports of bird flu outbreaks in different parts of the country,” said the official. There have been reports of the avian flu in some districts of Telangana apart from a widespread outbreak in other states including Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, had also issued a circular to all zoos regarding their preparedness to prevent ingress of Avian Influenza and advised them to comply with the National Action Plan on “Prevention, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza”.

The zoos were advised to consult the Centre for Wildlife, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly for technical advice on the wildlife management, disease control and diagnosis.