Nagpur Zoo Stops Chicken Feeding for Wild Animals Amid Bird Flu Fears
Nagpur’s zoo halts chicken meals for wild animals after bird flu deaths raise concerns
Nagpur, India, Bird Flu, Maharajbagh Zoo, Tigers, Leopard
Nagpur: The Maharajbagh Zoo has decided to stop feeding chicken to its wild animals. This comes after three tigers and a leopard died, likely from bird flu. It’s a precautionary move as the risk of avian influenza spreads.
The zoo’s officials are being extra careful. Maharashtra’s Forest Minister, Ganesh Naik, mentioned that the big cats probably got sick after eating contaminated chicken. They’re waiting for lab results to confirm the exact cause of death.
Bird flu mainly affects birds but can spread to other animals too. The zoo’s Chief Health Officer, Sunil Baviskar, said that while tigers don’t usually eat chicken, leopards do get poultry sometimes. Thankfully, none of the zoo animals are showing any symptoms.
To be safe, the zoo has completely stopped chicken meals and is cleaning and disinfecting every two days. They’ve also advised the wildlife rescue centre, where the tigers and leopard died, to stay closed for now.
The tigers and leopard had been moved to the Gorewada Rescue Centre in Nagpur after some conflicts with humans. They died last month, and tests later confirmed they had the H5N1 strain of the virus.
In response to this situation, the Union government has told zoos to take extra precautions. The disinfection process is already in progress. Meanwhile, the Siddharth Zoo in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is also being careful with their animals, ensuring their food is treated properly to avoid any risks.