Yogi orders maximum vigilance aftertigress dies of bird flu in Gorakhpur

Time of India

13-05-2025

Lucknow: The Lucknow and
Gorakhpur zoo
s, and Etawah Lion Safari were closed for a week on Tuesday following the bird flu scare in state zoos. The decision came after the confirmation that a tigress at the Gorakhpur zoo died of bird flu.Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed officials to enforce maximum vigilance in all zoos in the state to check the spread of
H5 avian influenza
(bird flu).The alarm was raised after the death of tigress Shakti at Gorakhpur zoo on May 7.
Its viscera samples were sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal, which confirmed bird flu as the cause of death on Tuesday.A female wolf Bhairavi also died at the Gorakhpur zoo and its sample was sent to IVRI Bareilly. Bhairavi's results are awaited. Meanwhile, a sick tiger named Pataudi was recently transferred to the Kanpur zoo, raising concerns about the potential spread of the virus there.Chairing a high-level meeting on Tuesday, Yogi said the safety of protected animals and birds in zoos, bird sanctuaries, national parks, wetland areas and cow shelters must be treated as the topmost priority.
He instructed officials to take all necessary preventive measures promptly and strictly in accordance with the guidelines issued by both the central and state govts to curb the possible spread of the infection.As a preventive strategy, Yogi has ordered regular sanitisation of zoo premises and the use of blow torching where needed. He also emphasised mandatory health screenings of all wild animals and birds, along with strict inspection of their food to prevent any contamination.The CM directed that all zoo staff be fully informed about avian influenza and equipped with PPE kits and other essential safety gear. He further said that staff duties within enclosures be assigned according to the level of associated risk.He called for strict monitoring of all poultry farms in line with safety protocols and tight control over the movement of poultry products. He directed the health department to assess the potential impact of bird flu on humans to prevent any risk of transmission to the public.The CM said that zoo authorities should be in regular contact with institutions like the Central Zoo Authority, National Centre for Disease Control, ministry of health, department of fisheries and dairy, and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, to seek advice and implement necessary action accordingly.