UK Edition
Bird flu confirmed at world-renowned swannery in Dorset
An outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed at Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset, one of Britain’s top nature attractions, with nine swans testing positive for the disease and dozens more cases suspected.
Abbotsbury has the only managed colony of mute swans in the world and this winter recorded double the usual number of bird deaths.
The nine birds tested positive for the H5N8 strain of avian flu, which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has classified as ‘very low risk’ to humans.
John Houston, tourism general manager at the swannery, said: “At this time of year we would expect 30-40 deaths - from old age, bad weather, a low supply of eelgrass, or general wear and tear - but this year we have had 80 so far.
“Once Defra have a positive result, they don’t carry on testing, so we have not submitted any more birds to them. But we can assume, because it’s above the norm, that this is the cause of death in the others.
“The disease has been in Europe for months now and we knew it was only a question of time before it came to England because of the migratory patterns. Our swans are here all year because it is an ideal nesting area, but other birds just fly in and we have no control over them.”
Mr Houston added: “Our staff are taking it very hard. We may have a colony of over 1,000 birds here but we are attached to them, and the ones that have died were all cygnets born in May this year.
“That is one encouraging fact - it seems to be in very young birds who haven’t yet built up enough immunity. The older birds are more resilient.”
The swannery is closed for the winter and will re-open as normal in March.
The H5N8 strain has been detected in the wild bird population at other sites around the UK, including the Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre at Slimbridge, Gloucs, and RSPB reserves in Devon, north Wales, Lincolnshire and Merseyside.
An RSPB spokesman said: “The risk to humans remains low and we have not closed the affected sites, but staff at these sites and across our whole network are increasing biosecurity as needed in order to minimise virus spread, and remaining vigilant for dead or sick birds.”
Keepers of chickens, ducks and geese are required by Defra to keep them indoors, or separate from wild birds using netted enclosures, under a “prevention zone” in place until May. There is a also a Britain-wide ban on poultry shows and gatherings.
It comes after the disease was confirmed in a back yard flock of chickens and ducks in Carmarthenshire, while a turkey farm in Lincolnshire suffered an outbreak before Christmas.
The Food Standards Agency has reassured consumers that bird flu does not pose a food safety risk.