Bird Flu Virus in Two German Zoos: Dead Animals and Closed Park

Cases of bird flu virus have been recorded at two zoos in Germany's Lower Saxony, leading to mass animal culling and the implementation of enhanced biosecurity measures. At Weltvogelpark Walsrode, the world's largest bird park, eighty seabirds, including ducks and geese particularly susceptible to the virus, perished. All birds from one aviary were euthanized to prevent further spread of the disease. The park remains temporarily closed to visitors, with plans to reopen by March 14 at the latest for the start of the season. Its extensive grounds are home to around four thousand birds from over six hundred species. The highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus has become a global problem for farmed poultry and wild birds in recent years, causing mass die-offs and necessitating preventive culling of millions of animals worldwide. The disease also poses a zoonotic threat, although transmission to humans remains rare. Meanwhile, at Osnabrück Zoo, three rheas died, and preliminary pathological examination of one indicated bird flu virus. Final confirmation by the state-run Friedrich Loeffler Institute, which serves as the national reference laboratory, is still awaited. Two other rheas that lived in direct contact with the deceased individual were euthanized on the order of veterinary authorities. Both zoos have tightened their biosecurity procedures to protect the remaining animals. The situation illustrates the ongoing challenges the virus poses for large animal collections, where close clusters of different species can facilitate disease transmission. „Das ist verheerend, Enten und Gänse sind sehr empfänglich für das Virus” (This is devastating, ducks and geese are very susceptible to the virus) — Spokesperson for Weltvogelpark Walsrode