Alarming bird flu: Over 50 cranes found dead in the district!

Alarming bird flu: Over 50 cranes found dead in the district!

Worrying news from Ludwigslust-Parchim: More than 50 dead cranes have been discovered in the region in the last few days. The dead birds were mainly found near the water in places such as the Langenhägener Seewiesen, at Lake Plauer and in the Lewitz fish ponds. The alarming phenomenon is related to the current spread of bird flu, which is particularly common in autumn, as Tagesschau reports.

Samples of the dead cranes have already been sent to the State Office for Agriculture, Food Safety and Fisheries (LALLF). If signs of the influenza virus are discovered, the samples will be forwarded to the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) for further examination. There is great concern for the feathered inhabitants because bird flu has been detected in numerous federal states, such as Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.

Call for vigilance

The veterinary authority urgently appeals to poultry farmers to protect their flocks. Suspicious illnesses or deaths should be reported immediately. To avoid introducing the disease, some important measures are recommended:

• Strikte Trennung von Straßen- und Stallschuhwerk sowie Kleidung.
• Vermeidung des Kontakts zwischen Wild- und Hausgeflügel.
• Hofteiche sollten weiträumig umzäunt werden.
• Regelmäßige Reinigung und Desinfektion von Gerätschaften sind unerlässlich.

Dead cranes or other wild birds should under no circumstances be touched. Instead, it is important to inform specialist services to clarify the situation. You can reach the responsible authorities on 03871722 3901 or the official veterinarians' on-call service on 0385 50000.

Serious levels of bird flu

Bird flu has caused one of the largest recorded outbreaks in wild birds this year. In Brandenburg alone it is feared that over 1,000 cranes have fallen victim to the disease. In the region around the Linumer Teich, where around 6,900 cranes were recently found, precautionary measures have already been taken, including the cancellation of guided tours by NABU, which also warns against touching sick or dead birds.

The situation is not only worrying for cranes, but also affects other bird species such as ducks and geese. Pathogens were detected in several poultry farms, in some cases leading to the killing of over 9,000 animals. The risk assessment of the current situation has been increased accordingly, and experts expect the disease to spread further among wild birds.

For poultry farmers and bird watchers in the region it is now time to remain vigilant and exercise caution. After all, the health of our animal friends is in our hands.