Western Cape authorities along with multiple partners collected about 1 400 dead birds over the past weekend.
This comes after an ongoing outbreak of Avian Influenza amongst wild seabirds. The virus was first detected in wild seabirds in May
2021.
The Western Cape’s Local Government,
Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, suspects
that the mass fatalities is due to the beginning of breeding season.
The main hotspots are in the Bergrivier
Municipality and Dyer Island in the Overberg.
Bredell says authorities have been working all
weekend to clean up suspected outbreaks and remove dead and sick birds in order
to prevent the spread of the virus.
“It is critical to prevent the spread of the
disease. This means people must not attempt to assist or transport any sick
birds. This remains a serious situation with the impact hard felt amongst
endangered wild birds particularly cormorants. This is an incurable disease
affecting birds, that is not preventative, cannot be treated and is highly
contagious to birds.”
The Disaster Management Centre urges the public
to be vigilant and report unusual mortalities in any birds to their local
municipality, conservation authority or state veterinarian. Contact details for state veterinarians are
available at https://www.elsenburg.com/services-and-programmes/veterinary-services-0#s=Animal-Health-and-Disease-Control
Done By: Mitchum George
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