All zoos in U.P, Etawah lion safari shut after bird flu scare
CM chairs high-level meeting after confirmation that a Gkp Zoo tigress, which died on May 7, had H5N1 avian influenza
All three zoological parks and a lion safari in Uttar Pradesh have been shut down 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,” said Anuradha Vemuri, the principal chief conservator of forest-Wildlife (PCCF-Wildlife), on Tuesday.
Tiger reserves in the state have also been directed to remain alert. In a late evening message to the staff of tiger reserves, senior forest officials asked them to keep a watch on the behaviour of animals on their premises and report if any of them fell sick or died.
Meanwhile, taking the potential threat of H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) seriously, 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 (NIHSAD) 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’s Mailani in May 2024.
“The monitoring of all animals in the zoo is being done. They are being checked for symptoms of bird flu or other illnesses. Keepers have been made aware of the symptoms,” said the senior forest official.
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 sanitized.
Dr. Singh also said all 300 animals housed in the Gorakhpur Zoo were currently healthy and showed no signs of infection during their examination conducted on 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.
In January this year, three tigers and a leopard were killed due to highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) at the Gorewada Rescue Centre in Nagpur, Maharashtra. In the same month, bird flu was also detected in three pet cats and a live bird at a bird market in Madhya Pradesh as part of the surveillance measures put in place by the state’s department of animal husbandry.
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 his meeting with officials, the chief minister stated that the safety of protected animals and birds in zoos, bird sanctuaries, national parks, wetland areas and cow shelters must be treated as a top priority, according to the official statement.
“Regular sanitisation of zoo premises and blow torching, along with health screenings for all wild animals and birds, should be done on all zoo campuses. Strict inspection of the animals’ food to prevent any contamination should be done,” the CM said.
On May 5, the Gorakhpur Zoo reported the death of a wolf that was rescued and brought to the zoo from Bahraich. Also, a sick lion there has been relocated to the Kanpur Zoo for better upkeep.
Gorakhpur Zoo director Vikas Yadav said: “Emergency protocols have been activated. Biological samples have been collected from zoo employees and veterinary staff who may have come into close contact with the tigress.”
