US zoos move birds indoors amid fears on spread of deadly avian flu

ZOOS ACROSS North America are moving their birds indoors and away from people and wildlife as they try to protect them from the highly contagious and potentially deadly avian influenza.

Penguins may be the only birds visitors to many zoos can see because they already are kept inside and usually protected behind glass in their exhibits, making it harder for the bird flu to reach them.

Nearly 23 million chickens and turkeys have already been killed across the US to limit the spread of the virus, and zoos are working hard to prevent any of their birds from meeting the same fate.

It would be especially upsetting for zoos to have to kill any of the endangered or threatened species in their care.

“It would be extremely devastating,” said Maria Franke, who is the manager of welfare science at Toronto Zoo, which has less than two dozen Loggerhead Shrike songbirds it is breeding with the hope of reintroducing them into the wild. “We take amazing care and the welfare and wellbeing of our animals is (of ) the utmost importance. There’s a lot of staff that has close connections with the animals that they care for here at the zoo.”

Toronto Zoo workers are adding roofs to some outdoor bird exhibits and double-checking the mesh surrounding enclosures to ensure it will keep wild birds out.

Birds shed the virus through their droppings and nasal discharge. Experts say it can be spread through contaminated equipment, clothing, boots and vehicles carrying supplies.

Research has shown that small birds that squeeze into zoo exhibits can also spread the flu, and that mice can even track it inside.

So far, no outbreaks have been reported at zoos but there have been wild birds found dead that had the flu. A wild duck that died in an area of the a zoo in Des Moines, Iowa, after tornadoes last month tested positive,