All waterfowl housed in the David Traylor Zoo will be off-exhibit for an indefinite amount of time due to an outbreak of a highly contagious strain of bird flu.
According to a post on the David Traylor Zoo’s Facebook page Thursday, staff have temporarily moved all waterfowl in their care to off exhibit areas to help limit the potential spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The disease, known as H5N1, can cause sudden death in birds and brain or respiratory issues, namely pneumonia, in humans.
Symptoms of HPAI in hjmans can include redness or irritation of the eyes, fever, cough, runny nose and body aches. Symptoms in waterfowl include sudden death, lethargy, respiratory issues and low egg production.
Zoo Director Brenda Young tells KVOE News the waterfowl will return to exhibit once cases begin to subside. Young says a decrease in cases typically comes with warmer weather near the end of Spring migrations.
