France: 2022 - 2024 H5N1 in wild birds

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

AVIAN FLU: A THOUSAND BIRDS FOUND DEAD ON THE BEACHES OF PAS-DE-CALAIS

Philippine Potentier and Laurene Rocheteau

the 06/10/2022 at 12:58

There are now only a hundred sandwich terns left out of the 3,000 individuals in the colony at Oye-Plage. All coastal municipalities are now part of the surveillance zone for avian flu cases.

It's a real disaster. Nearly a thousand dead birds have been found in recent days on the beaches of Pas-de-Calais, learned BFM Grand Lille, confirming information from La Voix du Nord .

Analyzes revealed that they had died of the avian flu, whose cases do not cease multiplying these last days.

Cases that arrive at "the worst period"

A colony of 3,000 sandwich terns, a rare and protected species, was installed on the Oye flat, in Oye-Plage, in Pas-de-Calais.

“A major breeding site for the species,” explains Pierre Thellier, from the Eden 62 mixed union, to La Voix du Nord .

On May 20, the organization had already found a hundred dead birds on the coast of Pas-de-Calais. Since then, more than a thousand people have been affected by avian flu. If Eden 62 is responsible, with the municipalities, for collecting the bodies of birds, some individuals have not yet been found.

"It's the worst time for this kind of event to happen," laments Kevin Wimez, of Eden 62, with BFM Grand Lille. Because the colony was in full nesting, with more than 3,000 nests recorded on this site. A year that promised to be "record."

According to Eden 62 estimates, there are now only about a hundred individuals left in this colony.

The surveillance zone extended to the entire coastline
Avian flu also affects other species on the coast of Pas-de-Calais. Cases have been identified in black-headed gulls, gulls and avocets.

On Wednesday, after the appearance of new cases of avian flu, the prefecture of Pas-de-Calais had extended its temporary control zone to eleven municipalities in the department. All the municipalities on the coast of Pas-de-Calais are now subject to enhanced surveillance.

The prefecture reminds residents to "not approach, feed or handle wild birds in this area, and more particularly on the entire coast, to avoid any risk of spreading the virus."

The prefecture also calls on all bird owners, breeders or individuals, as well as veterinarians, to be vigilant in order to limit the spread of the virus.

Despite the surveillance zone, the platier d'Oye remains open to visitors for the moment, only the goose puddle trail is closed "until further notice."

Philippine Potentier and Laurene Rocheteau

https://www.bfmtv.com/grand-littoral/grippe-aviaire-un-millier-d-oiseaux-retrouves-morts-sur-des-plages-du-pas-de-calais_AN-202206100347.html

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Gulls affected by avian flu, two surveillance zones in Cherbourg and Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue

Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 11:50 a.m. - By Chloé Martin , France Bleu Cotentin

Seagulls were found dead on Tatihou Island and Cherbourg, affected by avian influenza. As a result, the Manche prefecture places the municipalities in these two areas under surveillance for at least 21 days.


New cases of bird flu in the Channel. Seagulls were found dead on Tatihou Island, off Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, and in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, carriers of the avian influenza virus. After confirmation of the cases this Monday, June 20 by analyzes, the prefecture of the Channel places two zones under surveillance, for at least 21 days.

Seven municipalities placed under surveillance

The prefectural decree aims to limit the risk of contamination of the virus, which is particularly contagious for birds. Two areas are therefore concerned : the municipalities of Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, La Pernelle, Réville and Quettehou; Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, Martinvast and Nouainville.

All poultry and captive birds must therefore be kept inside the buildings or under a net, none must go out except by way of derogation for slaughter. Direct sale at the farm is prohibited, but it remains authorized in the markets. Finally, it is recommended to avoid any contact with wild birds. If there is any sign of illness or abnormal behavior, it should be reported promptly to a veterinarian.

Surveillance maintained around Montmartin-sur-Mer

These measures may be lifted after three weeks of surveillance, if no other case of avian influenza is detected in a farm or in wildlife.

These two surveillance zones are in addition to that around Montmartin-sur-Mer, where two infected gulls were found dead on June 11. The municipalities of Agon-Coutainville, Annoville, Hauteville-sur-Mer, Heugueville-sur-Sienne, Hérenguerville, Montmartin-sur-Mer, Orval sur Sienne, Quettreville-sur-Sienne, Regnéville-sur-Mer and Tourville-sur- Sienna are concerned by this same order.

https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/agriculture-peche/des-goelands-touches-par-la-grippe-aviaire-deux-zones-de-surveillance-a-cherbourg-et-saint-vaast-la-1655889405

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Avian flu: worrying mortalities in marine birds

Thousands of seabirds have been found dead and carrying the avian influenza virus on the coasts of the Channel, as well as from Russia to Canada.


Published on June 22, 2022 - By Pascal Le Douarin


“This situation has never been encountered in France due to its magnitude and the period”

indicates the latest weekly epidemiological bulletin from the Esa epidemiological surveillance platform published on June 21.

Indeed, since May, more and more seabirds have been found dead on the coasts of northern France. This is rather unusual, as highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) viruses are more common among anatidae and raptors.

...
As of June 17, these mortalities were reported in four municipalities in the Somme, ten municipalities in Pas-de-Calais, three in Nord sur, three in Seine-Maritime, and one municipality in Aisne, Calvados and Manche. . The reports show a chronological evolution over more than 500 km, from the Belgian border to Brittany. Grouped mortalities were observed mainly on gulls (gulls, terns, gulls), but not exclusively.

The Somme was particularly affected (Marquenterre park) including a northern gannet ( Morus bassanus ), the largest seabird in Europe.

In the Netherlands, a gannet was also found dead and carrying the H5N1 virus. In Scotland several thousand dead lunatics have also been reported.

In France, the only colony of northern gannets is on the north coast of Brittany, with 15 to 20,000 pairs concentrated on Rouzic Island (Sept Iles nature reserve) representing 4% of the world population.

Endemic presence of AI viruses

The persistence of circulation of the HPAI H5N1 virus in populations of wild birds during the off-season (between downward and upward migrations) is worrying, especially since some species are partial migrants or include breeding colonies and rearing of juveniles.

“Environmental contamination remains high in regions where wild bird deaths are observed” further underlines the Esa platform. “The risk of introduction of the virus into poultry farms can occur through the decantation of wild bird populations, which is always possible even outside periods of migratory movements. »

Seabird mortalities are observed all over the world . In June, Russia declared more than 2,200 dead birds in the Caspian Sea (mainly terns). In May, Canada reported deaths never seen in the Magdalen Islands, including hundreds of gannets, found emaciated. Ornithologists wonder if these birds were weakened by the AI viruses preventing them from fishing or if their weight loss resulted in an increased susceptibility to the AI viruses.

https://www.reussir.fr/volailles/grippe-aviaire-mortalites-preoccupantes-dans-lavifaune-marine

[Pathfinder]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somme_(department)

-----------------------------------------------

Translation Google

Avian flu: a new temporary control zone after the discovery of a dead swan in Cléry-sur-Somme

Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 10:58 AM - By Marie-Gaëtane Comte , France Bleu Picardie

Somme

After the 15 coastal municipalities, a new temporary control zone inland is being monitored after the discovery of a dead swan infected with the virus in Cléry-sur-Somme in early July.

After first affecting gulls on the coast, the virus was detected in other species: seagull, gannet but also heron, swan and duck, specifies the prefecture of the Somme in a press release.

The discovery of a dead swan infected with the virus in Cléry-sur-Somme led the prefecture to issue an order determining a temporary control zone (ZCT).

The 12 municipalities concerned are located in the east of the Somme:

Allaines,
Biaches
Bouchavesnes-Bergen
Cléry-sur-Somme
Curlu
Feuillères,
Flaucourt
Frise
Hem-Monacu
Herbécourt
Maurepas
Péronne.

Despite the avian flu epidemic, waterfowl hunting is preparing to open on August 6 under certain conditions

The opening of the waterfowl hunt will take place on Saturday August 6th. To prepare for it as well as possible, the sub-prefect of Abbeville, brought together this Monday, July 18, in the sub-prefecture of Abbeville, the departmental directorate for the protection of populations (DDPP), the departmental directorate of territories and the sea (DDTM), the French office for biodiversity (OFB), the gendarmerie and the federation of hunters in the Somme (FDC) as well as representatives of hunting associations in the public maritime domain.

“During this meeting, it was decided to allow the transport and use of decoys for waterfowl hunting under certain conditions, in particular declaration of decoys to the FDC and in strict compliance with biosecurity measures. This is to guarantee control of the risk of spreading the infection from wild animals to domestic animals. These health restrictions only apply in the municipalities located in the temporary control zone (ZCT)" specifies the prefecture of the Somme.

As a reminder, here is the list of coastal municipalities concerned by the "temporary control zone", including the maritime public domain under the right of these municipalities.

Ault
Brutelles
Cayeux-sur-Mer
Favières
Fort-Mahon-Plage
Lanchères
Pendée
Le Crotoy
Mers-les-Bains
Quend
Rue
Saint-Quentin-en-Tourmont
Saint-Quentin-La-Motte-Croix-au-Bailly
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
Woignarue

https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/environnement/grippe-aviaire-une-nouvelle-zone-de-controle-temporaire-apres-la-decouverte-d-un-cygne-mort-a-clery-1658307376

[sharon sanders]

bump this

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Avian flu: four cases identified in Quimper, Morlaix and Crozon

Published on August 02, 2022 at 5:07 p.m.

Four new cases of bird flu were identified on July 29 in Quimper, Morlaix and Crozon. In response, the Finistère prefecture is setting up control zones in which breeders are invited to be vigilant.

New cases of bird flu (avian influenza) have been detected in Finistère. This time, the virus was spotted in the laboratory on three corpses of herring gulls in Quimper and in the bay of Morlaix, as well as on that of a gannet, in Crozon, according to the decrees published by the prefecture of Finistère. Last week, it was on individuals of these same species that the virus was identified in Audierne and Beuzec-Cap-Sizun.

...

https://www.letelegramme.fr/finistere/quimper/grippe-aviaire-quatre-cas-identifies-a-quimper-morlaix-et-crozon-02-08-2022-13134672.php

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Brittany affected by avian flu in the heart of summer

Since the beginning of the summer, proven cases of avian flu have multiplied in Brittany. All departments are now concerned.

The prefectures organize themselves by establishing control zones.

Modified08/04/2022 at 4:22 p.m.
Published on 08/04/2022 at 4:14 p.m.

Cases of avian flu have been increasing in Brittany since the beginning of July 2022. Thursday August 4, the prefecture of Ille-et-Vilaine indicates that "several cases have been detected in recent days in the north of the department" , without give more details.

As of July 12, in the Côtes-d'Armor, 14 corpses of herring gulls suffering from avian influenza had been found in the bay of Saint-Brieuc . The next day, cases had been detected in Loudéac , on corpses of herring gulls. "The French office for biodiversity (OFB) continues to receive numerous reports of dead birds", indicates the prefecture of Côtes-d'Armor on August 4.

The colony of northern gannets threatened

More worrying, the only colony of French gannets, nesting on Rouzic Island off Perros-Guirec, also seems affected by the epizootic . The first suspicious death of an adult gannet was recorded on July 1 , 2022.

In Finistère, two cases of avian influenza were confirmed in Audierne and Beuzec-Cap-Sizun on July 28. The next day, cases in Quimper, Morlaix and Crozon were confirmed.

In Morbihan, it was in the port area of Lorient that a case was confirmed on a corpse of a gull.

Surveillance perimeters

For each proven case, the prefectures set up temporary control zones. In these sectors, places where poultry are kept are subject to inspections and a census by the veterinary services of the DDPP (Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations). Captive birds must be kept there in confinement to avoid any contact with wild birds.

Brittany is not the only region impacted by this epizootic "exceptional in terms of its scale and the period when the detections are taking place" , according to the Ministry of Agriculture. In recent weeks, many cases have been recorded along the Channel coasts. At the end of July, Minister Marc Fesneau announced that a vaccine was being tested with results expected “in November or December. “ An action plan of one billion euros will also be deployed by the ministry.

https://www.ouest-france.fr/sante/gr...e-980decb64a7c

---------------------------------------------------------------

Ille-et-Vilaine. Avian flu alert on the Emerald Coast

Several dozen herring gulls were discovered dead at the end of last week on the coast. They were carriers of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. A control zone has been set up in the north of the department.

Ouest France
Nicolas CARNEC.
Published on08/04/2022 at 1:12 p.m.

“The appearance of the bird flu virus concerns all the departments of the West, underlines Philippe Brugnot, the sub-prefect of Saint-Malo. The coast of Ille-et-Vilaine, from Saint-Briac-sur-Mer to Saint-Georges-de-Gréhaigne is not spared with the discovery of dead herring gulls on the beaches. »

These birds were picked up in Cherrueix, along the beach, at a place called La Larronnière, and made available to the veterinary services for analysis. “The presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus has been confirmed, continues Philippe Brugnot. The prefect will therefore publish an order in the coming hours, in order to put in place all the necessary precautionary measures. »
...
https://www.ouest-france.fr/bretagne...e-980decb64a7c

--------------------------------------------------------------

Avian flu: six swans and a heron found dead in Saint-Maurice-Etusson

Published on 08/04/2022 at 11:45 | Updated 08/04/2022 at 1:06 PM

The Prefecture of Deux-Sèvres announces this Thursday, August 4, 2022, the death of six swans and a heron affected by the avian influenza virus, in Saint-Maurice-Etusson. A prefectural decree is issued to limit the spread of the virus.

The avian influenza virus continues to strike in the department. This infectious, viral and highly contagious animal disease affected, on Wednesday August 3, 2022, two swans and a heron on the Grippière pond, in Saint-Maurice-Etusson, in the north of the Deux-Sèvres department. " Since four other swans have been found dead," warns the Prefecture of Deux-Sèvres in a press release.

Saint-Maurice-Etusson and Genneton concerned by the prefectural decree
To limit the spread of the virus, the prefect issued, this Thursday, August 4, 2022, a prefectural decree delimiting a perimeter of five kilometers around these cases in wildlife.

"In this area, the sheltering of poultry is compulsory and the introduction of new palmipeds as well as the transport of decoys are prohibited. Derogations from the ban on movement in this area remain possible, however, subject to strict compliance. biosecurity measures… All birds from professional and non-professional farms must also be sheltered within the perimeter of the regulated area.” The municipalities of Saint-Maurice-Etusson and Genneton are directly concerned by this prefectural decree.
...
https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/...aurice-etusson

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Brittany: In the Sept-Iles reserve, avian flu is ravaging seabirds

EPIDEMIC The colony of northern gannets that nests on the island of Rouzic is particularly affected

Jerome Gicquel
Published on 08/24/22 at 08:05 — Updated on 08/24/22 at 08:05
...
Swallows, pigeons and hedgehogs replaced gulls, gannets and seagulls at the care centre. Since this summer, the LPO ( Bird Protection League ) station on Ile-Grande in the Côtes-d'Armor has been welcoming new residents. However, seabirds have not deserted the pink granite coast. But since July 13, the shelter no longer supports them, thus complying with the recommendations of the health authorities.

A heavy decision but made mandatory by the avian flu epidemic which is currently raging. Wreaking havoc on poultry farms, the virus has also been decimating colonies of seabirds in northern Europe since the spring. In France, the epizootic first affected gulls, seagulls and terns in Hauts-de-France in May before the Normandy coasts were also hit in June. The epidemic has affected Brittany since July, where a large number of dead seabirds have been found on the coast.

A carnage among gannets
"We are facing an unprecedented event this year," said Romain Morinière, director of the LPO station on Ile-Grande . If the virus is not new, the circulating strain is this time much more pathogenic and incurable and the episode much longer than usual. "It also affects a dozen species, including seabirds, which is quite unprecedented," says the head of the ornithological station.

A veritable sanctuary for wildlife, the Sept-Iles archipelago is paying a heavy price for this epidemic. Nesting on Rouzic, one of the seven islands of the archipelago, the colony of northern gannets is particularly bruised. “Hundreds of crazy nests are empty, more than a hundred corpses litter the colony and hundreds of birds are reported dead at sea and on the shores,” laments Pascal Provost. Curator of the Sept-Iles nature reserve, he witnesses, destitute, this sad spectacle. "The mortality is observable in the eyes of all at sea on the colony," he says.

“We can only see the damage”
For the past few days, the LPO station has also been inundated with calls from boaters or local residents notifying them of dead or dying gannets on Rouzic Island or on the coast. In the middle of the nesting period, the situation is all the more alarming. According to a count made between July 5 and August 16 in a control area of 102 nests with breeders, 80% of the chicks died. “A very unusual and abnormal situation because reproductive failures mainly take place during the fortnight of May and in June”, underlines Pascal Provost.

Faced with this slaughter, these nature lovers can unfortunately do nothing. "We can only see the damage," sighs Romain Morinière. However, its teams remain mobilized on the ground. "We take care of other species of birds at the center, taking great care to avoid the spread of the virus to other species," he says. If a dead bird is discovered, the authorities recommend not to touch or pick it up. On the other hand, the discovery of corpses must be reported to the town hall of the place of discovery or to the French Office for Biodiversity .

https://www.20minutes.fr/planete/334...oiseaux-marins

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Gannets in turn victims of avian flu on the coasts

Published on 08/31/2022 at 4:58 p.m. • Updated 09/01/2022 at 09:59
Written by Christophe Meunier

Calvados
Sleeve
Normandy

At the beginning of the summer, many corpses of gulls, victims of avian flu, were discovered on the Normandy coast. Since August, the virus seems to have changed prey. Gannets, the largest seabird in Europe, are dying in numbers on the beaches.

The first outbreak of avian flu was detected in France in November 2021, in the Nord department. The virus, highly pathogenic, had already appeared during the summer in several European countries. It then spread to the west of France (first the south-west before moving north). The situation seemed to have improved at the beginning of May 2022. But new warning signals appeared shortly before the summer. Many cases of contamination have been identified in wildlife on the Channel coast, forcing prefectures to take restrictive measures with regard to farms. " There were more than 1,000 gull corpses on Calvados ", says James Jean-Baptiste,It hit the spot well. "

For several weeks, the corpses of gulls have disappeared from Normandy beaches. " It is likely that it killed the weakest, the least armed. The rest were immune to the virus. Until the next mutation of the virus can affect them ." And the recent macabre discoveries made by bird specialists on the coasts of the Channel and Calvados rightly arouse concern.

"The entire Calvados seafront is affected"

The epidemic now strikes the gannet, the largest seabird in Europe (1m80 wingspan). " At present, there are only corpses of this species left, everywhere in France. It's a hecatomb. I traveled six kilometers of coast this morning, I found fifteen corpses on Courseulles- sur-Mer, Graye-sur-Mer and Ver-sur-Mer. A colleague who was on Omaha beach also found some. Others found some in Hermanville, Colleville. This means that the entire Calvados seafront is affected by arrivals of birds that come to die at sea or land completely weakened. ”

Tests revealed the presence of the virus on numerous remains. “ According to the laboratories, there would be two different strains between the birds that we found at the start of the summer season (gulls) and the gannets. We would not be on the same strain at all. ” The mutation did indeed take place. " This is the nature of the avian virus. It is a virus that constantly mutates. It wants to live and its survival is only achieved by mutating as often as possible and by trying to hit the greatest number of possible species. ”

A colony in Alderney

In the region, the northern gannet nests on the Channel Island of Alderney to give birth to its young. 6 to 7,000 migrating pairs come to spend the summer there each year. Its very large size is not the only characteristic of this giant of the air. " When it spots a fish, it falls into the water putting its wings back, like a torpedo, to go as deep as possible. Unlike other birds, it no longer has nostrils. Due to its ability to dive very high, the horn pushed on his nostrils to prevent the pressure of the water, when he dives, to explode the brain. He must breathe with his beak open. "


Another feature of the species, its way of life, is causing serious concern among specialists. " These are gregarious birds, living only on a rock in Alderney. They all rub shoulders with each other and as the virus is transmitted only by secretions - saliva and droppings - the birds that live in groups are the most susceptible ", explains James Jean-Baptiste, who fears that the virus will soon spread to other species " which have the same life system, waders and then ducks which will arrive in October. "

" We don't touch it and we especially don't bury it"

Although the bird flu virus is not transmissible to humans, health authorities recommend avoiding contact with dead or suffering birds. " We can't do anything for them. We can't treat them and we can't transport them because if we take them to a care center, they will contaminate other birds. " Because the slightest contact, even indirect ( a shoe for example) can contribute to the spread of the virus, especially in land where there are livestock farms. " We don't touch it and we don't bury it especially because we must not hide its presence. The virus can live for several weeks. "

The procedure is to contact the French Office for Biodiversity ( 02 31 61 98 53 in Calvados and 02 33 07 40 32 in Manche). The OFB will come and collect the bird or ask the municipality concerned to remove it from the beach. “ What is really worrying is the promiscuity with corpses. People bathe next to them, sunbathe next to them, dogs go and lick the birds, it means that this highly pathogenic virus is circulating ”, s James Jean-Baptiste alarms, " Me, it wouldn't occur to me to put my towel next to a corpse, if only for the smell. There is a real carelessness.

The main colony of gannets in France (40,000 birds) is not spared. Several hundred dead birds have been recorded on the island of Rouzic, off Perros Guirec, in the Côtes d'Armor. Further south, it is the island of Oléron which was recently placed on heightened vigilance after the discovery of contaminated gannets. According to our colleagues from France 3 Nouvelle Aquitaine , the species is affected by the virus almost everywhere in Europe. The Bass Rock colony in Scotland also saw the death of thousands of birds.

https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/normandie/calvados/les-fous-de-bassan-victimes-a-leur-tour-de-la-grippe-aviaire-sur-les-cotes-normandes-2603780.html

[Shiloh]

Source: https://actu.fr/pays-de-la-loire/cha..._53515195.html


Wild birds infected with avian flu in Vendée: tougher measures
New measures are needed for professionals and individuals to limit the risk of spreading avian flu.
By Tifenn Lorcy Published on1 Sep 22 at 16:41

Wild birds infected with avian flu have been discovered in Vendée. The prefect issues an alert.

The prefecture of Vendée has placed several areas of the department in a temporary control zone by prefectural decree, after the discovery of several corpses of wild birds on the pond of the municipality of Landes-Genusson. Two of them (a mute swan and a great egret) tested positive for the H5N1 virus.

The representative of the State in Vendée specifies: "The highly pathogenic avian influenza of the winter of 2021-2022, due to the H5N1 virus, continued to circulate this summer in the wild avifauna, in particular on the native birds of the coast of the North Sea, the English Channel and the Atlantic...

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Côtes-d'Armor: thousands of gannet corpses due to avian flu

Thousands of gannet corpses have been discovered in Brittany. Avian flu is said to be the cause of the death of these birds.


Virginie Garin - edited by Baptiste Marin
published on 06/09/2022 at 16:42

The massacre of gannets questions in Brittany. On Rouzic Island off Perros-Guirec (Côtes-d'Armor), thousands of corpses of the largest seabird in Europe have been discovered since the beginning of summer on the Breton coast. To date, there is only one colony that exists on French soil.

A well-known virus is thought to be the cause of these deaths. "The population is being decimated by bird flu . Corpses are arriving on the beaches every day," explains ornithologist James Jean Baptiste. This disease recently hit France hard. In particular, more than 16 million poultry have been slaughtered since last November throughout the country.

"It is still too early to take stock," says James Jean Baptiste about this disaster. In June, bird flu had already attacked the gull population . It would now affect another species, "this strain may have mutated on gannet".

The avian virus particularly infects wildlife, "unheard of" compared to previous years. And the spread of this disease worries, in particular for the birds which will soon arrive to spend the winter in France.

https://www.rtl.fr/actu/debats-societe/cotes-d-armor-des-milliers-de-cadavres-de-fou-de-bassan-pour-cause-de-grippe-aviaire-7900182490

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...ay-2022-09-07/

New bird flu wave in France raises fears deadly virus here to stay
Reuters
September 7, 202210:28 AM EDTLast Updated 6 hours ago

ROUZIC ISLAND, France, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The island of Rouzic's windswept clifftops should be teeming with gannets, but an unseasonal wave of bird flu on the French Atlantic coast this summer has devastated their numbers, alarming conservationists and poultry farmers.

Thousands of seabirds have perished along France's western shores in past weeks because of the viral infection, which usually strikes during autumn and winter months, raising fears it may have become a year-round risk and endemic to French wildlife.

That poses a danger for France's poultry industry, the European Union's second largest, which was forced to cull more than 19 million birds between November and May because of avian influenza, as bird flu is formally called.

"Bird flu is hitting seabirds in the spring and in the summer, which is totally new. Traditionally bird flu mainly hits waterfowls during winter," Pascal Provost, director of the Sept-Iles archipelago bird reserve which includes the Rouzic island...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-...unes-de-maine- et-loire-under-control-e88eebd2-2ec5-11ed-a9d3-c56f0c2d178b

Avian Flu. Dead swans at the Passavant pond, four municipalities in Maine-et-Loire under control
Four municipalities in the south of Maine-et-Loire have been placed under control after the discovery of dead swans, carriers of the avian virus. What to raise the pressure on the poultry profession.
The Western Mail Yves BOITEAU Published on09/07/2022 at 8:08 p.m.

The threat is back. Just over three months after releasing its epizootic grip on the region, avian flu is making a comeback. The discovery in recent days in Loire-Atlantique of many dead wild birds, carriers of the H5N1 virus, has led to the placement in a temporary control zone (ZCT) of a large part of the department but also, as a preventive measure, of all of Vendée.

In Maine-et-Loire, four municipalities in the Vihiers region have been placed in turn under this health surveillance regime since September 1...

[Pathfinder]

Location of Gironde in France
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gironde
----------------------

Translation Google

Bordeaux: A wild goose infected with avian flu found dead in Blanquefort

EPIZOOTIC A Temporary Control Zone (ZCT) concerning the municipalities of Blanquefort, Le Bouscat, Bruges, Eysines, Le Haillan and Le Taillan-Médoc has been set up by the prefecture

Published on 07/09/22 at 6:43 p.m.

Cases of avian flu in wildlife have already been detected this summer on the Atlantic coast (Normandy, Brittany, Deux-Sèvres, Charente-Maritime) and a case has just been identified in the Bordeaux metropolitan area . A wild goose (Canada goose) was found infected with the avian influenza virus in the Majolan de Blanquefort park, reports this Wednesday the prefect of Gironde, Fabienne Buccio.

Avoid spread to farms
The representative of the State issued an order delimiting a Temporary Control Zone (ZCT). It concerns the municipalities of Blanquefort, Le Bouscat, Bruges, Eysines, Le Haillan and Le Taillan-Médoc. As a reminder, this virus is not transmissible to humans and the consumption of meat, foie gras or poultry eggs poses no risk to human health. The measures provided for in this decree aim to strengthen surveillance and limit the spread of this disease to farms.
...

https://www.20minutes.fr/bordeaux/3347587-20220907-bordeaux-oie-sauvage-infectee-grippe-aviaire-retrouvee-morte-

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Avian flu decimates seabirds in Brittany, specialists are "destitute"

Since the beginning of July, avian flu has affected the four departments of Brittany. It is the carnage among seabirds. 2,875 dead birds were collected on the Brittany coast, "an estimate much lower than the reality", specifies the French office of biodiversity which does not observe any "decline" of the epizootic.

West France
Laetitia JACQ-GALDEANO .
Published on09/28/2022 at 10:00 a.m.

Since July 1 , 2022, avian flu has been raging in the four Breton departments. Seabirds, particularly gannets and herring gulls, are affected. In the coastal towns, especially in Finistère, dead wild birds are picked up almost every day. Why are they particularly affected this year? Hervé Duvallet, environmental technician at the regional police service of the French Office for Biodiversity, explains how the H5N1 strain that hit farms has evolved.

In the four Breton departments, avian flu is killing wild birds, particularly in Finistère, the most maritime French department. How many have died from the virus so far?

Since mid-July, and as of September 23, 2022, we have collected 2,875 dead birds across the entire Brittany coast. This figure is an estimate lower than the reality because we are not able to see all the birds that die. It is updated every week according to the figures sent to us by the town halls and it will inevitably evolve in the coming days. It does not include Northern Gannet mortality. 70 to 80% of the colony of 20 to 25,000 pairs on Rouzic Island, off Perros-Guirec, have been decimated.

Have you had all the dead birds found tested?

At the beginning of the epidemic, any bird harvested was analyzed. We realized that it was useless to analyze gannets which were totally infected and herring gulls which were also almost in the majority. Today, we analyze as soon as we have a farm within a radius of 2 to 3 km nearby. The H5N1 strain that hit farms evolved by specifically affecting gulls and gannets with extremely high virulence. In the fall of 2021, 20 to 30% of gulls were affected. Today, they are more than 50%. In addition, new species such as gray herons and cattle egrets are affected.

Is the severity of the crisis unprecedented?

In thirty years of experience, I have never seen such a situation on wildlife in the summer, with such virulence and such mortality on Gannets. Last winter, we had a cluster (outbreak) in the bay of Saint-Brieuc (Côtes-d'Armor) with a few dozen dead birds collected. We were very, very far from the current figures. This is disproportionate to what we see on the ground today.

Does the epizootic tend to ebb? Are there indicators that show a way out of the crisis?

We wonder when the epidemic will stop but we have no answer. For now, the indicators are not green. There is no decline observed. We are still in crisis. We also wonder how the wild birds will react, what population dynamics we will have next. We are in crisis management and totally helpless.

https://www.ouest-france.fr/sante/grippe-aviaire/la-grippe-aviaire-decime-les-oiseaux-marins-en-bretagne-les-specialistes-sont-demunis-b6e87bc4-3e75-11ed-8aab-3274d8312c34