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Avian flu stops - Flamingos see the sun again
Bird Park Walsrode opens with full program
The Weltogelpark Walsrode closed in winter anyway, and to prevent visitors in the time of entry, when the bird flu was around, he was spared. When he opened the gates on March 18, the birds were already able to escape.
Visitors come into contact with the birds in zoos like here in Weltvogelpark Walsrode and can transmit bird flu (Somayeh Khaleseh Ranjbar) The large free flight hall is also open, and the most spectacular air show Germany starts under the open sky and with a new concept.
Irreplaceable animals
An infection of birds with the virus in Weltvogelpark Walsrode would be a catastrophe. It is one of the ten largest zoological gardens in the world, breeding several species as the only institution in Europe, and some species are exclusively to be found here.
Extremely endangered species
Species almost extinct in the wild, such as the gudgeon from Mexico, the blue-eyed bibi from Madagascar or the Kagu of New Caledonia, have their place here. The Blue-eyed Ibis is even outside of Madagascar even exclusively to see here, three silk cuckoo species planted here for the first time outside Madagascar.
In addition, there are several extremely endangered cranes, treasures such as hummingbirds and birds of paradise, palm cockatoos or South American hokkos.
International breeding programs
World Bird Park coordinates international breeding programs and is instrumental in resurrecting species near extinction in their original habitats. An infection of the birds living here would be a catastrophe for the global protection of species.
Networks of conservation breeding
In order to prevent such a super-GAU, the conservation breeding programs in zoos are globally networked. A plague in a breeding center would therefore not endanger the entire population of an endangered species.
For four months the virus was rampant
On 8 November 2016, experts first established the bird flu virus H5N8 in dead wild birds. Poultry farmers, for example in Berlin-Lichtenberg, had to house their animals in stables in order to avoid contact with infected wild birds.
disinfection
Geese were killed in Hagenbeck's zoo after individual animals in the zoo carried the virus. The bird house remained closed, visitors had to disinfect their shoes before they entered the Zoological Garden.
Animals came to winter quarters
The newly completed aviary of the Berlin zoo on Budapester Strasse remained closed to visitors, and in many zoos the animals prematurely moved into their winter quarters. There they stayed until the virus retreated nationwide.
Tropical hall closed to visitors
The tropical hall in the Alfred Brehm House in Tierpark Friedrichsfelde was also closed to visitors during the winter, as was the crocodile hangar there with its rare crows forehead birds.
Some zoological gardens remained completely closed
The zoo in Kronsberg, and the zoos in Ueckermünde as Sassnitz were closed for months even completely for visitors, after among the local animals, the disease also called avian influenza rampant.
emergency program
Zoological gardens have an emergency program for epidemics like bird flu, but this varies from one facility to another, depending on the species they care for, how they come into contact with wild birds.
Zoos do not have to kill all animals
However, when proof of infection, zoo operators do not have to kill the entire bird population as otherwise prescribed for poultry owners.
Less infection
In contrast to fattening systems, animals in zoos live in different areas that have limited contact with each other - namely by visitors and animal keepers.
Outbreak of avian flu What you should know now
There is no such thing as a complete all-clear. Some areas on the Alster and Elbe with a high density of wild waterfowl such as gulls, geese and ducks are still considered a risk area.
Special permit for Hagenbeck
However, Hagenbeck Zoo got a special permit from the district office Eimsbüttel, as the risk of infection has fallen sharply. Visitors do not have to disinfect their shoes anymore.
However, many birds are unlikely to breed this year, as they are late in the sun and no longer in a breeding mood.
The Alster swans in Hamburg come back to the outdoors
Throughout the country, more and more counties and cities are raising the barn obligation. In Emsland, poultry had to be in the stable since 1 February, and this duty ends on 30 April.
Cases throughout Central Europe
In total, there were 92 outbreaks of avian influenza in Germany since November and Poland, France, the Netherlands and Hungary were also affected.
Highly contagious bird flu in the Emsland
However, in areas such as the Altmark or the Emsland, where the avian influenza occurred, experts still recommend cleaning the footwear after an outdoor stay, as well as equipment and vehicles, and regularly changing litter in the stables.
Barn duty in Mecklenburg
The longest stable obligation in Germany exists in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Here, some regions still count as a risk area. Vorpommern-Rügen meanwhile canceled the compulsory housing, and Rostock relaxed it.
How did the bird flu get to Germany??
How the bird flu came to Germany is controversial. The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut argues that wild birds spread the virus.
Industrial poultry farming - a virus paradise?
On the contrary, many ornithologists say that the flu spread in industrial livestock and that the wild birds got infected there. (Dr. Utz Anhalt / Somayeh Khaleseh Ranjbar)