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Suspicion of avian influenza - Cottbus Zoo remains closed

The zoo in Cottbus fears for the survival of its bird population. However, an outbreak of avian influenza has not yet been conclusively confirmed.

A notice of the district "Avian influenza protection zone". Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
A notice of the district "Avian influenza protection zone". Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Animals - Suspicion of avian influenza - Cottbus Zoo remains closed

Cottbus Zoo remains closed due to suspected cases of avian influenza. The facility will remain closed up to and including Friday, the city announced on Tuesday. It has not yet been conclusively clarified whether avian flu has actually broken out. A laboratory analysis of tests should provide information. Further extensive samples were also taken on Tuesday to determine the possible spread of the pathogen, according to the city. This Wednesday (1 p.m.), the authorities will provide information about the situation at the town hall.

Tierpark director Jens Kämmerling said on Tuesday: "Together with the veterinary authorities, we are doing everything we can to protect and preserve the population as far as possible. To this end, the pathways of the pathogen must be investigated. It is not currently a question of killing animals in any way." Berlin Zoo was closed in November 2022 after a waterfowl was infected.

Bird flu has been appearing in Germany again and again for years; it is introduced and spread by wild birds. If a flock is infected with the highly contagious variant, all the animals there are usually killed. Humans are only infected in very rare cases. In mid-December, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute near Greifswald reported that the number of bird flu outbreaks in German and European poultry farms had recently increased significantly again.

Outbreaks of bird flu occur again and again in poultry farms. The pathogen, also known as avian influenza, was detected in a farm in Ostprignitz-Ruppin at the beginning of December. More than 10,000 birds had to be killed. There have also been cases in other federal states such as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

According to its website, the municipal zoo in Cottbus keeps elephants, tigers, various monkeys, zebras, antelopes, ostriches and an abundance of waders and waterfowl.

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Source: www.stern.de

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