Latest news with #avianflu
Wall Street Journal
20 hours ago
- Health
- Wall Street Journal
A Canadian Ostrich Culling Sparks an International Storm
Edgewood, British Columbia is normally a sleepy settlement of retirees. Lately, it's become the front line in a battle between the Canadian government and a coalition of animal rights activists, Christian evangelists and populists who have recruited U.S. health officials Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Mehmet Oz to their cause. It's all because of Universal Ostrich Farm, located on the edge of this remote 235-person community northeast of Vancouver. The Canadian government is trying to euthanize roughly 400 ostriches that are penned here, after 69 of the flightless birds died in December and January and two tested positive for a variant of H5N1 avian flu virus. The owners of the flock and a group of activists are rallying to stop the cull.
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Can RFK Jr. save B.C.'s death row ostriches?
A New York City billionaire and conservative talk radio host. Two of the most vocally antivax members of Donald Trump's administration. Protesters associated with the "Freedom Convoy" that occupied downtown Ottawa in 2022. What do they have in common? They all want to save a herd of more than 400 ostriches on a small farm in rural British Columbia. Earlier this year, Universal Ostrich Farms was ordered to cull their remaining birds after an outbreak of avian flu killed dozens of them. But the farm has been fighting the government's order in court, claiming the ostriches' antibodies are crucial for research into alternatives to traditional vaccines. Marc Fawcett-Atkinson, a reporter with Canada's National Observer, explains why the farm's story has spread so widely through the right-wing media ecosystem, finding so much synergy with vaccine skepticism, climate denial, and other conspiracy theories about shadowy bids for global control.
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Swans are back on the Thames! Numbers of beloved Royal birds shoot up after worrying dip
The number of swans on the River Thames has begun to go up again after a worrying dip, according to an annual survey. The traditional five-day count known as swan upping found 115 young birds this year, compared to just 86 in 2024. There has been a worrying decline in the numbers of the beloved royal birds in recent years - with the drop blamed on avian flu and human cruelty. But the new figures released by the King's swan marker, David Barber, this week suggest the 45 per fall over the past two years has been reversed. However, the numbers are still down on the 155 swans that were counted in 2022. Mr Barber said according to The Henley Standard: 'So far it has been very positive. 'It's an improvement on last year because we've had the bird flu for a few years and that seems to have died out on the Thames now and the breeding pairs suffered badly and now it seems quite good so I'm pleased with it. 'Last year was the lowest number we've had for years and years and years and since I've been doing it and that was only 86 cygnets [across the whole bird count].' Swan upping is the annual census of the swan population and the ceremony is used to count the number of young cygnets, check their health and ensure numbers are maintained. The 'swan uppers' use traditional rowing skiffs for their five-day journey each year upstream along the River Thames to Abingdon Bridge in Oxfordshire. The ceremony dates back to the 12th century, when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts. The focus is now on conservation and education, with local primary school children invited to Q&A sessions throughout the week. In particular, Mr Barber wants the event to discourage young people from mistreating swans. Recently there have been incidents reported of people shooting the royal birds with catapults and air guns. Swan upping has also become a popular spectacle with crowds gathering along the banks of the River Thames.
BBC News
18-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Royal swan count on Thames sees numbers resurface after dip
Swan numbers have begun to recover on the Thames, after a couple of years of worrying decline, according to an annual royal survey of swans.A five-day search along the Thames, completed on Friday, found 115 young swans, rather than 86 last year, showing signs that the disappearance of swans could be beginning to be traditional count is called "swan upping", but in recent years it has been more like swan downing, with numbers plunging because of avian flu and human cruelty, including reports of swans being attacked by catapults and air the new figures released by the King's swan marker, David Barber, show a more optimistic picture, after a 45% fall over the past two years. The tradition of swan upping sees six boats sailing from Sunbury Lock in west London to Abingdon Bridge in Oxfordshire, with the "swan uppers" counting, weighing and giving a health check to young swans found along the annual event has also become a popular spectacle, with crowds gathering along the riverbank in the sunshine to watch the boats go past, with their colourful flags and crews in ceremonial outfits. The fall in swan numbers had threatened to make the classic image of swans on the Thames an increasingly rare the swan uppers have more more positive news about the swan population and will be hoping a corner has been turned. Although it's still down on the 155 counted in the outset of the trip, Mr Barber said he was hoping that avian flu had "eased off", after an impact on the swan population that had been "quite disastrous"."Fortunately, there has been a decrease in reported cases of the disease in the River Thames area in recent months," said the King's swan marker. With a swan's feather in his cap and wearing a scarlet jacket, Mr Barber spoke of the risks to swans nesting on the said their search found swans needing to be cleaned from pollution such as engine oil. Fishing tackle was a longstanding problem and there were attacks from dogs and vandalism from upping dates back to the 12th Century and was once about counting royal property - with the monarch having ownership of unmarked mute swans swimming on open is now more about conservation and education, involving schools along the route and helping to teach young people to respect and protect particular Mr Barber wants to discourage young people from the mistreatment of swans - such as shooting them with catapults, which he says causes terrible figures so far show a more hopeful picture for swans on the Thames. Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Hundreds of doomed ostriches find unlikely ally in RFK Jr
The Canadian government ordered the culling of 400 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farms in British Columbia after they were exposed to bird flu. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has intervened, urging Canada not to cull the birds but to study them for scientific knowledge. A legal battle is underway, with a federal appeals court pausing the cull order to review arguments from the farm owners who want to keep the ostriches alive for research. RFK Jr., supported by Mehmet Oz and John Catsimatidis, has written to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to press for a change in the culling policy. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency maintains that its 'stamping-out' policy is necessary to prevent the spread and mutation of the avian flu virus, despite arguments from the farm owners that the policy is overly strict.
