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Sarzeau: analyses underway after the discovery of weakened wild birds on the castle grounds
Corentin Dévé
Published on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at 5:54 p.m.
Birds in a very weakened state have been observed on the Suscinio estate in Sarzeau, Morbihan. The municipality has announced that tests are underway to determine the cause and is urging visitors to be extremely vigilant.
The commune of Sarzeau, south of Vannes in Morbihan, announced this strange news via a message on its social networks. On the Suscinio estate, " birds were recently found in a very weak state ," causing concern among visitors and experts. " The commune's services and those of the State are closely monitoring this situation ."
Avoid contact with birds
As the castle is frequented by many visitors, the municipality wanted to inform the public and especially give some safety instructions. Thus, if you witness a bird in a bad situation, do not touch it and move away , otherwise, you must disinfect yourself. It is also preferable to keep pets away from birds, and to avoid walking around bodies of water and muddy areas.
The municipality specifies that analyses are underway to determine the causes of these states of weakness. It also calls on visitors to share information , and to " keep informed of the location, the species (if recognized) and the number of individuals concerned by writing to us at environnement@sarzeau.fr. You can add photos to your message ."
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Fish and bird mortality at the Suscinio natural site
Published on 08/21/2025
Since Thursday, August 14, 2025, a mortality of fish and then birds has been observed on the pond of the Château de Suscinio in Sarzeau.
Water analyses were carried out the same day and site monitoring was implemented by the Morbihan Department, owner, the Domaine de Suscinio and the town of Sarzeau, as well as by State services (DDTM, OFB) and local stakeholders (PNR, hunters' federation and association, LPO, etc.).
The first causes identified
The first water quality analyses received demonstrated eutrophication of the pond, which created anoxia (lack of oxygen) in the body of water due to a massive development of microorganisms and a very high water temperature (reaching 30 degrees).
The fish, without oxygen in the water at night, died overwhelmingly of asphyxiation in the pond. Some were consumed by fish-eating birds in the area.
Under these conditions, cyanobacteria developed in very large numbers, some of which develop toxins. Some of these toxins have been identified with possible impacts on bird populations, but also on humans and domestic animals if they come into contact with these cyanobacteria and the toxins they produce.
Additional analyses are still being carried out on the birds found dead to verify these hypotheses and the presence of other possible causes.
Coordination and actions implemented to secure the site and preserve the natural environment
From the start, monitoring and management actions were implemented and collective surveillance of the territory was initiated, indicating that to date, only the pond of the castle of Suscinio is directly impacted by fish mortality.
Given the presence of cyanobacteria and toxins, it was decided to:
- Close access to the castle pond, including for domestic animals (non-consumable water).
- To postpone for at least 15 days the opening of waterfowl hunting throughout the territory of Suscinio, from the tip of Beg Lann to Penvins, including the coastal back marshes and the maritime public domain.
- To continue monitoring and collecting dead birds on the site and neighboring areas.
Beware of dead and sick birds
Visitors should not touch dead or sick birds, especially on beaches or near salt lagoons.
The recommendations are as follows:
- Do not touch birds and move away;
- If in contact with a bird, disinfect the affected areas thoroughly;
- Keep pets away;
- Write to environnement@sarzeau.fr specifying the location, species (if recognized) and number.
Sick birds will be collected as part of collection campaigns and sent for treatment via the SOS Faune Bretagne network.
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