EVANSVILLE, In (WEHT) – According to Mesker Park Zoo’s Facebook page, the bird flu has been detected in the area they feel is too close to the zoo for comfort.
To make sure their birds are kept safe, raptors, penguins, cranes, ostriches, and emus have been moved indoors. Also, the budgie exhibit and the free flight portion of Amazonia will be closed for the time being.
Officials say it will be at least four weeks before the birds are returned to their regular habitats, but it could be longer due to the presence of other cases around the area.
To help reduce the chance of spread, zoo staff are taking additional protective measures to try and prevent the flu from entering the zoo.
The zoo also asks the community to not put out bird feeders at your homes or business to help prevent further spread.
“We had planned for the inside and they are set up for the inside because the risk, wildlife is always here,” Jessica Marlo staff veterinarian for the Mesker Zoo Park explained. “So day or night whether we’re open or closed the risk of wildlife exposure remains the same so that leads to the difficult decision to keep them in doors.”
Zoo officials say some children may be a little upset some of their favorite animals may be behind closed doors but it’s all done for good reason.
So far the response has been very positive cause people understand and equally want to protect our animals here,” Marlo said. “So everyone put safety first especially for our animals. So the response so far has been very positive.”
The zoo says this was done to protect the animals from possibly being infected.
“Work as a team to take best care of our animals and then the big factor was in regards to positive cases, in regards to our location especially with personal owned birds or wildlife cases,” Marlo said.
According to the USDA there is one active case in Indiana, 4 active cases in Kentucky and 18 active cases in Illinois but none of those cases are in the tri-state. Avian flu is also no transmissible to humans.
