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Spain - H5 High Pathogenic Avian Influenza Confirmed - Kills 200 doves in the gardens of Montju?c
An unknown disease kills hundreds of pigeons in the gardens of Montju?c
The City Council is investigating whether the death is caused by a virus-empty City Hall "for security" ponds, but says that after the analysis was ruled out this outbreak
HELENA BELMONTE - Barcelona - 14/09/2010
Hundreds of Turkish doves have died in recent weeks in Montju?c and surrounding areas due to a disease of unknown origin, to date, has not affected other birds or animals in the area.
Zoonosis service workers of Barcelona City Council explained that during the last two weeks have collected a mean of 12 Turkish dead doves per day in the palace gardens of Alb?niz, the residence of the Kings of Spain during their visits to the Catalan capital, the would raise the number of dead birds in this space for more than 200. Parks and Gardens have also been recognized that birds found dead in the cemetery of Montju?c, near the headquarters of the Free Zone Consortium, although a spokesman for the department reduce the number of dead pigeons to a hundred.
The City Council has opened an investigation to trace the origin of the strange death. The specimens found dead have been sent to the Veterinary Faculty of the Autonomous University of Barcelona for a necropsy will be performed. Above all "to rule that it is an outbreak of avian influenza that can spread disease to people," said Parks and Gardens.
It is an exhaustive and complicated. It is necessary to find whole specimens in order to do this successfully, something difficult in the park because "the cats and then just rip the feathers are," says Ciriano Iglesias, Alb?niz gardener at the mansion for 16 years. "I've never seen anything like it," he explains while discovering another dead turtle by the back door to the gardens.
Also analyzed water sources. Sources with the department, the chlorine and pH of the water are correct. Although, as the City, the water tested presented no problem, the ornamental fountains of the garden were emptied over the weekend of August 28 and returned to fill "for more security," said a spokesman.
Josep Miquel Badia, president of the Ornithological Society of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and employee of Parks and Gardens, is convinced that the problem is in the sources. The large ponds of the palace are usually one of the favorites of birds in Montju?c to drink. "During the two weeks of more kills pigeons, other birds, like sparrows, finches, gulls greenfinches and disappeared from the park. Only were the doves because they were the only ones who found that there was something strange in the water" explains. "I think the birds have died from drinking water from ornamental fountains. You just have to come to the park to see that there are more bodies near the waterfall," says Badia. In his view, have been found dead birds in other parts of Montju?c is not unusual. "The cemetery is more than one mile from the park," he says.
The curator of the park, Clemente Murillo said that during those two weeks the gulls disappeared from the park. For a couple of days are returning. Parks and Gardens insists that the water supply was in good condition. "Our hypothesis is that this is a virus," insists a spokesman. "If you have found so many doves in the palace is because, as they are ill, they prefer to go to a lonely place like this," said the spokesman. The exhibition opens to the public only on weekends.
Barcelona City Council has not counted the number of Turkish pigeons in the city, as a bird is not considered a pest. According to the Red Book on birds in Spain, funded by the Ministry of Environment, there are between 790,000 and one million couples in Spanish territory.
Source: http://www.elpais.com/articulo/catal...14elpcat_3/Tes
The City Council is investigating whether the death is caused by a virus-empty City Hall "for security" ponds, but says that after the analysis was ruled out this outbreak
HELENA BELMONTE - Barcelona - 14/09/2010
Hundreds of Turkish doves have died in recent weeks in Montju?c and surrounding areas due to a disease of unknown origin, to date, has not affected other birds or animals in the area.
Zoonosis service workers of Barcelona City Council explained that during the last two weeks have collected a mean of 12 Turkish dead doves per day in the palace gardens of Alb?niz, the residence of the Kings of Spain during their visits to the Catalan capital, the would raise the number of dead birds in this space for more than 200. Parks and Gardens have also been recognized that birds found dead in the cemetery of Montju?c, near the headquarters of the Free Zone Consortium, although a spokesman for the department reduce the number of dead pigeons to a hundred.
The City Council has opened an investigation to trace the origin of the strange death. The specimens found dead have been sent to the Veterinary Faculty of the Autonomous University of Barcelona for a necropsy will be performed. Above all "to rule that it is an outbreak of avian influenza that can spread disease to people," said Parks and Gardens.
It is an exhaustive and complicated. It is necessary to find whole specimens in order to do this successfully, something difficult in the park because "the cats and then just rip the feathers are," says Ciriano Iglesias, Alb?niz gardener at the mansion for 16 years. "I've never seen anything like it," he explains while discovering another dead turtle by the back door to the gardens.
Also analyzed water sources. Sources with the department, the chlorine and pH of the water are correct. Although, as the City, the water tested presented no problem, the ornamental fountains of the garden were emptied over the weekend of August 28 and returned to fill "for more security," said a spokesman.
Josep Miquel Badia, president of the Ornithological Society of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and employee of Parks and Gardens, is convinced that the problem is in the sources. The large ponds of the palace are usually one of the favorites of birds in Montju?c to drink. "During the two weeks of more kills pigeons, other birds, like sparrows, finches, gulls greenfinches and disappeared from the park. Only were the doves because they were the only ones who found that there was something strange in the water" explains. "I think the birds have died from drinking water from ornamental fountains. You just have to come to the park to see that there are more bodies near the waterfall," says Badia. In his view, have been found dead birds in other parts of Montju?c is not unusual. "The cemetery is more than one mile from the park," he says.
The curator of the park, Clemente Murillo said that during those two weeks the gulls disappeared from the park. For a couple of days are returning. Parks and Gardens insists that the water supply was in good condition. "Our hypothesis is that this is a virus," insists a spokesman. "If you have found so many doves in the palace is because, as they are ill, they prefer to go to a lonely place like this," said the spokesman. The exhibition opens to the public only on weekends.
Barcelona City Council has not counted the number of Turkish pigeons in the city, as a bird is not considered a pest. According to the Red Book on birds in Spain, funded by the Ministry of Environment, there are between 790,000 and one million couples in Spanish territory.
Source: http://www.elpais.com/articulo/catal...14elpcat_3/Tes
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