Mysuru Zoo shuts down for a month after bird flu outbreak

The zoo will be closed till February 2. Tests revealed six birds had recently died of avian influenza. Zoo staff have also been given protective gear.

If you are planning to travel to Mysuru for sightseeing, here’s some bad news: the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens will be closed to visitors till February 2 after an outbreak of avian influenza was detected.

Officials said several rare birds had died at the zoo in the past two weeks, including six birds from December 28 to December 30. While officials initially attributed the incidents to climate change, the frequent deaths prompted medical tests. The tests revealed that the animals were suffering from avian influenza.

Kamala Karikalan, the zoo director, issued a notification on January 3, closing the zoo for a month. The closure was announced to curb the spread of the disease. According to officials, this will be the longest period in which the zoo has remained closed in its 124-year history.

The Deccan Herald reported that the zoo has around 800 birds belonging to 79 species. Officials have prohibited entry near a pond where many birds died, while staff have been issued protective gear and also vaccines to protect against infections.

Since the zoo sees a surge in visitors in December and January, the closure will be disappointing for tourists, but officials could not ignore the public health risk. On 30 December, Asianet Newsable had reported that nearly 44 animals had died at the zoo from January to November 2016 amid concerns that workers’ disenchantment with officials was affecting care of the animals.