Bird flu detection in tigress after her death prompts Indian state to shut down zoos

ISTANBUL

The northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh closed its zoos to the public for a week on Wednesday, a day after bird flu was discovered in a dead tigress.

The Uttar Pradesh state government has ordered the closure of zoos in Lucknow and Kanpur for a week, a day after similar precautionary measures were implemented in Gorakhpur and Etawah following the discovery of bird flu in a tigress that died at the Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan Zoo in Gorakhpur, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing officials.

Forest Minister Arun Kumar Saxena said surveillance has been intensified not just in zoos, but also in poultry farms across the state.

The decision aims to prevent virus transmission and improve surveillance at zoos and poultry farms, according to The Hindu daily, with Chief Minister Adityanath emphasizing the importance of immediate and coordinated action across departments.

"The safety of animals and birds in zoos, bird sanctuaries, wetlands, cow shelters, and national parks must be the topmost priority. All officials must act promptly and as per the guidelines of the Central and State governments," he was quoted by the daily as saying.

H5N1 influenza is a type of flu that particularly spreads among sick poultry, but it can occasionally be transmitted from poultry to humans. Its symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and severe respiratory illness.