Reptile & Amphibian Forums

AFP 21 Mar 06 A saltwater crocodile is given a chicken at a reptile park in October 2000. The outbreak of bird flu in Israel has led the owners of a wildlife farm to remove chicken from the menu of some of their hungriest charges -- a 200-strong congregation of crocodiles.(AFP/File/Torsten Blackwood)

Photo and very short item at:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060321/photos_od_afp/064087a7f0f5ed02e9abf75e570cb3b3

Wes query: Yes/no? Over-reaction/due diligence? (Virus would be killed by ingestion vs virus from bird polluting water and virus getting into mucal membranes that way ... that sort of thing).
Thanks all
Wes

While IMO crocodilians get the nod for the worlds toughest digestive system. A mosquito can spread west nile from bitng an eyelid. Point is everything is susceptible. And if not the crocs what about the other wildlife? If you've ever seen a crocodilian with a food source this is maybe a hair to big it is not a pretty sight. Spinning, slamming, and thrashing there are bits of food everywhere. If a native bird is helping themselves to the remains or for that matter maybe a rodent they could easily spread a virus. Stranger things have happened. You just can't be to careful.
Danny Conner