Latest news with #NationalInstituteofHigh-SecurityAnimalDiseases
Hans India
09-07-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Gorapkhpur, Kanpur zoos reopen after 56-day bird flu scare
Gorakhpur/Kanpur: After 56 days of closure due to a bird flu outbreak, zoos in Gorakhpur and Kanpur reopened on Tuesday. The outbreak claimed the lives of four big cats, including two tigers, a leopard and a serval in Gorakhpur, and a peacock and an asiatic lion in Kanpur. Both zoos shut their doors on May 13 after a tigress named Shakti tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza and died. A team from the Central Zoo Authority visited the Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan Zoological Park in Gorakhpur and identified ducks as the likely source of the virus. The influenza spread to the Kanpur zoo after an asiatic lion was brought from the Gorakhpur zoo for medical treatment. 'In accordance with protocol, the reopening was allowed only after two back-to-back negative reports. All necessary precautions and bio-security measures are in place to ensure public and animal safety,' said Gorakhpur zoo director Vikas Yadav. He said that 72 samples sent in phases to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal tested negative. A second consecutive negative report was received on July 4, and the government clearance for the reopening came on July 7. Similarly, a written approval from the chief wildlife warden was issued to reopen the Kanpur zoo after confirming that all animals are infection-free and the zoo is safe for visitors following multiple rounds of testing at NIHSAD, Bhopal and receiving the two latest consecutive reports as negative on May 26 and June 17, said Kanpur zoo range forest officer Naved Ikram. All necessary precautions and bio-security protocols have been implemented to ensure the safety of both animals and the public, he added. A tigress called Mailani remains under observation. Although she tested negative for bird flu two months ago, her condition hasn't improved. 'She's immobile and suffering from organ damage despite ongoing treatment,' said the Gorakhpur zoo's deputy director Dr Yogesh Pratap Singh. Meanwhile, nearly 400 visitors, including many children, entered the Gorakhpur zoo between 9 am and 11 am after the zoo opened. 'Everything is normal, and people are enjoying their visit,' Singh said.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
After 56-day bird flu scare, Gkp zoo reopens
Gorakhpur: After remaining shut for 56 days due to bird flu scare, Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan Zoological Park in Gorakhpur reopened its gates to visitors on Tuesday. The zoo was closed on May 13 after tigress Shakti tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza and died on May 7. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On the first day of reopening, nearly 500 visitors — including many children — entered the zoo. "Everything is normal and people are enjoying their visit," said Dr Yogesh Pratap Singh, zoo vet and deputy director. Zoo director Vikas Yadav said 72 samples were sent in phases to National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal and all were confirmed negative. The second consecutive negative report was received on Jul 4 and govt clearance for reopening came on Jul 7. "As per protocol, reopening was allowed only after two back-to-back negative reports. All necessary precautions and biosecurity measures are in place to ensure public and animal safety," Yadav added. During bird flu outbreak, virus claimed lives of a tiger, a tigress, a leopard and a female wolf. A team from the Central Zoo Authority visited the park and identified ducks as likely source of the virus. Meanwhile, tigress Mailani remains under observation. Although tested negative for bird flu two months ago, the tigress's condition hasn't improved and is immobile suffering from organ damage despite treatment," said Dr Singh.
Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
After 4 bird flu deaths, Gorakhpur and Kanpur zoos step up monitoring and test staff
After a report from a Bhopal-based laboratory confirmed the presence of a bird flu strain in four animals that died at the Gorakhpur and Kanpur zoos in Uttar Pradesh, the zoo authorities have started testing their staff as a precaution. Each zoo employs over 100 staff members. Samples of animals housed in the two zoos are also being sent for testing to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly. Special attention is being given to animals showing abnormal behaviour, such as loss of appetite, and their samples are being collected for analysis. Regular sanitisation is being carried out at both zoos and zoo staff have been instructed to strictly adhere to all precautionary measures. This month, a tigress, a wolf and a leopard died at the Gorakhpur zoo and the tigress and the leopard tested positive for bird flu. At the Kanpur zoo, samples of a tigress and a peacock found dead last week were sent to the laboratory for examination and both tested positive. Since the report was received, regular sanitisation has been carried out at the Gorakhpur zoo, officially known as Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan Zoological Park, and the Kanpur Zoological Park. Shraddha Yadav, director of the Kanpur zoo, stated, 'Testing of the entire zoo staff is underway.' A team led by the chief medical officer of Kanpur has arrived to conduct the tests. The Kanpur zoo employs around 106 staff members. Yadav also mentioned that random samples from animals housed in the zoo were being sent for examination. Vikas Yadav, director of the Gorakhpur zoo, said that all 105 staff members were examined and all were found negative. He added that a few samples of animals from the zoo had been sent for testing. The poultry farms in Kanpur and Gorakhpur are also being sanitised and samples are being sent for examination. Directions have also been issued to restrict the entry of outsiders to all poultry farms in the districts. The workers of poultry farms were advised to enter the farms only after getting properly sanitised besides adopting other measures. Last week, after the tigress that died recently at the Gorakhpur zoo tested positive for a strain of bird flu, the government took several precautionary measures, including a week-long closure of three zoological parks and the Lion Safari in Etawah for visitors, along with continuous surveillance of animals housed in these facilities. Aditi Sharma, director of the Lucknow zoo, said that since no animals had died at the zoo recently, no samples had been sent for testing. She added that if any animals showed abnormal behaviour, appropriate action would be taken. Anil Patel, director of the Lion Safari in Etawah, said the animals were being monitored closely, but none had shown any abnormal signs thus far. 'No samples have been sent for testing from here,' he added.
