Extremely Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1) has hit Irish seabird colonies this breeding season after working rampant by way of comparable colonies within the UK earlier this 12 months. The illness, which might infect a variety of hen species, seems to have hit breeding Gannet colonies significantly onerous.
Gannets, our larges seabird, nest in dense colonies on uninhabited offshore islands numbering tens of hundreds of birds. Sadly these mass gatherings, with birds crammed in shut proximity, present an excellent setting for transmission of a virus like H5N1 . There are three essential gannet breeding colonies in Eire: a big colony on Nice Saltee off the Wexford coast, a a lot smaller colony on the Bull Rock off the Beara Peninsula in West Cork and one of many world’s largest Gannet colonies on Little Skellig, off County Kerry, which hosts virtually 30,000 pairs of this iconic seabird every summer season.
Seabirds, wildfowl (geese, geese and swans) and extra
Lifeless and dying Gannets are being reported from round Irish coasts this 12 months, together with another seabirds like Guillemots and Razorbills in smaller numbers. However it’s not simply seabirds which are affected by H5N1 — any hen that comes into contact with different contaminated birds may catch and carry the illness. Wildfowl (geese, geese and swans) and birds of prey are significantly prone, as are birds like corvids (the crow household) that would come into contact with the illness by way of scavenging contaminated carcasses.
Up to now there have been no reported circumstances in Eire referring to backyard birds, that are extremely unlikely to return into direct contact with vectors of the illness. The danger posed by feeding your backyard birds is taken into account minimal.
Whereas H5N1 is predominantly an avian illness, and solely spreads simply by way of hen populations, some mammals, together with people in very uncommon circumstances, could also be prone to an infection.
What do you have to do should you discover a sick hen
Though the danger of the illness passing from a wild hen to a human host is extraordinarily low, authorities advocate that most people keep away from all contact with sick or lifeless wild birds presently.
- DO NOT TOUCH sick or lifeless wild hen
- DO NOT try to assist sick wild birds, deliver them house, or take them to an animal rescue centre
- DO NOT permit pets to method sick or lifeless wild birds. Preserve canine on a lead in areas the place lifeless or sick birds are current.
- DO report any lifeless or sick seabirds, wildfowl (geese, geese or swans), corvids (crows) and birds of prey by way of the Official Division of Agriculture net portal here.
Alternatively, you possibly can name the Division’s Avian Influenza hotline to report potential circumstances of the illness on 01 6072512 throughout workplace hours or 01 4928026 exterior workplace hours.
Different Irish Avian Influenza Assets
Under you’ll discover hyperlinks to different Irish Avian Influenza sources on the internet — we’ll hold this checklist up to date as we uncover related new hyperlinks:
