Bird flu alarm in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Zoos are taking strict measures!

Bird flu alarm in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Zoos are taking strict measures!

In recent weeks, bird flu has become increasingly present in Germany, and the effects are also noticeable in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. As ndr.de reports, several zoos in the region are now taking comprehensive measures to help the endangered bird species and prevent the virus from spreading further.

There is currently no general obligation to keep stables, but zoos have made conscious decisions to protect their animals. Particularly endangered species, including chickens and ground hornbills, have been moved to protected areas. At Marlow Bird Park, for example, chickens are housed in a coop with a covered enclosure to minimize contact with wild birds. The aviaries are also secured with tight-meshed nets to keep unwanted visitors away.

Committed measures in the zoos

The situation is similar at Schwerin Zoo. Here, the animal keepers have to regularly disinfect their hands and change their shoes frequently to ensure hygiene. I can well imagine that many visitors to the zoos also support these measures. At Rostock Zoo, disease mats were laid out to disinfect shoe soles to prevent the virus from entering the enclosures.

Chickens are particularly vulnerable to the H5N1 virus and therefore their safety is a top priority in these facilities. The current wave of infections started early and is causing the number of wild birds that have died to rise impressively. This year, almost 300 dead wild birds have already been detected with the virus, and around 1 million farm animals had to be killed as a precaution to contain the spread of bird flu.

A look at the current developments

As the Tagesschau reports, several federal states have been identified as particularly affected, including Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. Significant poultry farms are also affected there. In Baden-Württemberg, for example, 15,000 animals were killed in a poultry farm, while the crane population is suffering from the outbreaks. It is estimated that up to 2,000 cranes have already fallen victim to the virus.

The authorities are calling for increased protective measures. The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture has even asked the EU to increase the upper limit for compensation payments from 50 euros to up to 110 euros in order to cushion the financial damage to farmers. Interestingly, bird flu is not just an issue in livestock farming; In the zoos too, urgent advice and action is being taken.

There is currently no acute risk of serious illnesses from bird flu for the population, but they are advised to avoid contact with sick or dead wild birds. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute has raised the risk of further outbreaks to “high,” and hygiene measures for poultry farmers are stricter than ever.

Economic aspects

Although many challenges are currently encountered in agriculture, the economic situation remains promising. Today, November 4, 2025, the euro has an exchange rate of 1 euro = 1.1477 US dollars. This shows that the Euro is stronger than the US Dollar; a circumstance that is not unimportant given the global trade. The current trading hours for the Euro-US dollar exchange rate are Monday to Friday and several aspects suggest that it is worth making transfers early.

In the current situation, with both bird flu and economic considerations in focus, collaboration between zoos, farmers and authorities remains crucial. You have responsibility for the animals and economic stability at the same time, and it therefore remains to be seen how the measures will develop further.