India: Death of Tigers and Leopard due to H5N1 at the Gorewada Rescue Centre in Nagpur

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-in/health/hea...ub/ar-AA1wXIfG

Red alert as bird flu kills 3 tigers, leopard at Nagpur rescue hub
Story by Sarfaraz Ahmed
The Times of India
• 3h

NAGPUR: Three tigers and a sub-adult leopard died after contracting highly pathogenic avian flu H5N1 virus at Gorewada Rescue Centre in Nagpur. This is the first instance when the virus has taken such a substantial wildlife toll, particularly in captivity, in the country. A red alert has been sounded across Maharashtra's zoos, rescue and transit centres.

The animals died last week and their samples were sent to ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal, which confirmed the presence of H5N1 virus, Gorewada project divisional manager SS Bhagwat told TOI.

Bhagwat said these animals were shifted to the centre from Chandrapur after human-wildlife conflict instances in Dec. They started showing symptoms of avian flu virus within a week.

Containment protocols were implemented and enclosures housing the big cats were disinfected and treated with fire blowers. An additional 26 leopards and 12 tigers have been examined and declared healthy, Bhagwat said. "It remains a closed-for-visitors facility. Employees and caretakers have undergone screening and there is no cause for concern. Animal keepers are using PPE kits," he added...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.tv9marathi.com/maharasht...s-1339140.html

After vultures, leopards also infected with bird flu; Administration rushes to Gorewada Zoo in Nagpur
The outbreak of bird flu in Maharashtra has reached alarming levels. It has come to light that 2 out of 4 leopards at the transit treatment center in Chandrapur have been infected with the H5N1 virus. The administration is now engaged in taking urgent measures.
After vultures, leopards also infected with bird flu; Administration rushes to Gorewada Zoo in Nagpur
manasi mande | Updated on: Jan 24, 2025 | 1:38 PM

The risk of bird flu has increased again in the state, and the disease has raised its head. This has created a big stir. But now another big update has come to light. 2 out of 4 leopards in the transit treatment center in Chandrapur have tested positive for H5N1, i.e. bird flu, in the “sero” test. The report of the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal has come to light and now it has been revealed that the leopards have also been infected with bird flu. Due to this, the administration at the Gorewada Zoo in Nagpur has rushed.

According to the information received, after 4 tigers died due to bird flu in Gorewada, Nagpur, the animals at the Chandrapur Transit Treatment Center were also tested. That test has now come back positive. Notably, the bird flu test of 4 vultures that died in Chandrapur district two months ago also came back positive. Therefore, a ‘high alert’ warning was given to the zoos in the state to prevent the spread of bird flu. But now the bird flu test of leopards has also come positive. This has created quite a stir.

4 vultures die in 10 days

Meanwhile, between November 23 and December 3, 4 vultures released in Tadoba and Pench Tiger Reserves had died in Chandrapur district. All the dead vultures were brought to the same transit treatment center and postmortem was done. After that, 3 tigers were shifted from the same transit treatment center to the Gorewada Rescue Center in Nagpur between December 11 and December 16. And these 3 tigers died in just three days between December 20 and 23. It is being suspected that the 3 tigers kept in the Chandrapur Transit Treatment Center got infected due to the bird flu infected vultures and later died in Gorewada, Nagpur.

Now, as 2 out of 4 leopards have also tested positive for bird flu, the concern has increased and the administration has also been rushed.

Bird flu is spreading rapidly in the state

The havoc of bird flu is increasing in the state. 4200 chicks on a poultry farm in Latur district have suddenly died. Due to this, the administration has woken up with a jolt. The incidents of chick deaths have increased in two to three days. The administration has sent the samples of these chicks to the animal related laboratory in Pune. An investigation and investigation is being carried out to find out exactly why the chicks died.

[sharon sanders]

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