THE NATION (Bangkok, Thailand) 22 October 04 Zoo Bird-Flu Outbreak: Up to 100 tigers may be culled {Excerpts}
Up to 100 tigers may need to be culled to stop the bird-flu outbreak at Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, Preecha Ratanaporn, a director at the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, said yesterday.
Over 70 tigers at the private zoo have succumbed to bird flu, including 30 put down on Wednesday to prevent the virus spreading.
Lab tests yesterday showed the bird-flu virus that killed the big cats at Sri Racha had not mutated, said Dr Charal Trinvuthipong, director of the government’s bird-flu centre.
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Charal rejected reports that crocodiles at the Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo had perished from bird flu, saying reptiles were not susceptible to the avian virus. Only mammals such as dogs and cats could be affected, he said.
Dr Thawat Suntrajarn, director-general of the Disease Control Department, also ruled out the possibility that the Samut Prakan crocodiles had died from the virus.
“The farm owner said crocodile deaths are a normal phenomenon and they usually die every year,” he said.
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Zoo Bird-Flu Outbreak