(HT)
All three zoological parks and a lion safari in Uttar Pradesh have been closed for a week following confirmation that a tigress at the Gorakhpur Zoo, which died on May 7, was suffering from bird flu.
“The highest protocol is in place. The zoos in Lucknow, Kanpur and Gorakhpur districts and the lion safari in Etawah shall remain closed for a week,” principal chief conservator of forest-Wildlife (PCCF-Wildlife), Anuradha Vemuri, said on Tuesday.
Infection in several big cat species, including tigers, leopards, and others is well documented due to their feeding on infected poultry carcasses. Cats are also susceptible to infection because of their risk of exposure to poultry or wild birds.
In January this year, three tigers and a leopard died due to highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) at the Gorewada Rescue Centre in Maharashtra. In February, three domestic cats died because of bird flu in Madhya Pradesh. However, owners of the cats were not affected, state health department officials had then said, adding that it was rare for the infection to carry from animals and birds to humans.
On Tuesday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a high-level meeting and directed officials to enforce maximum vigilance across all zoos in the state, according to an official statement.
The decision to close down the zoos came after the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal confirmed the presence of the strain in the tigress at the Gorakhpur Zoo in its lab report issued late last evening.
The tigress, Shakti, was over two years old and was brought to Gorakhpur after her rescue from Lakhimpur Kheri in May 2024.
“All animals in the zoo are being monitored. They are being checked for symptoms of bird flu or other illnesses. Keepers have been made aware of the symptoms,” a senior forest official said.
Dr Yogesh Singh, the veterinary doctor at the Gorakhpur Zoo, said health officials had collected blood samples from over 100 staff members. “Their reports are expected by Wednesday,” he said, adding that the entire zoo premises had been sanitised.
Singh also said all 300 animals housed in the Gorakhpur Zoo showed no signs of infection till Tuesday.
Also, the viscera examination of the tigress by NISHAD confirmed the presence of a rare Vibrio bacterial infection. This bacterium, typically found in aquatic organisms such as fish and seabirds, poses a risk of spreading through direct contact. This has further heightened the concerns among health and zoo officials.
