3 January 2025
On New 12 months’s Day Paul Nale reported tons of of lifeless and dying snow geese in Northampton County on the PA Birders Fb group.
There have been over 100 lifeless and dying snow geese on the limestone quarry in Nazareth PA [Northampton County] this afternoon. We’ve a potential avian influenza outbreak on our arms. I’ve contacted the PA Recreation Fee.
Yesterday the PA Recreation Fee stated there have been additionally lifeless snow geese at Higher Macungie Township in Lehigh County, each with a “robust suspicion of avian influenza.”
UPDATE as of 8:50 AM 1/2/25: The PA Recreation Fee has had specialists within the quarry at Nazareth to gather the lifeless snow geese. There are reportedly tons of now. There are too many to even attempt to accumulate all of them. The birds are reportedly on their method to or on the lab for post-mortem. In my publish final night, I used the phrase POSSIBLE … This morning the staffer calling me used the phrases “robust suspicion of avian influenza.” Exams will affirm or reject that speculation.
The Pennsylvania outbreak follows rapidly on the heels of the same outbreak in Delaware simply 5 days earlier.
On 27 December lifeless and dying snow geese had been found at Prime Hook and different websites in Surrey County, DE. On 28 December the State of Delaware confirmed avian influenza and warned poultry farmers and the general public to take precautions.
It’s not shocking that fowl flu is spreading within the wild from state to state. Birds fly and Prime Hook, Delaware is simply 130 miles from Nazareth, PA, effectively inside the snow goose vary of as much as a thousand miles per day in migration.
In the meantime, the state of Pennsylvania urges everybody to take these precautions:
from PA Press Launch, 2 Jan 2025, INFLUENZA SUSPECTED IN SNOW GOOSE MORTALITIES
- These encountering sick or lifeless wild birds can report them to the Pennsylvania Recreation Fee by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453), by emailing [email protected] or through the use of the net Wildlife Well being Survey software.
- Any sick or lifeless home birds needs to be reported to Pennsylvania Division of Agriculture at 717-772-2852. In case you have had contact with sick or lifeless birds and aren’t feeling effectively, contact your main care doctor or the Pennsylvania Division of Well being at 877-724-3258.
- All the time observe wildlife from a secure distance. Keep away from contacting surfaces which may be contaminated with feces from wild or home birds. Don’t deal with wildlife until you might be searching, trapping, or in any other case approved to take action.
- Waterfowl hunters are inspired to proceed collaborating within the remaining season, however ought to take precautions whereas dealing with and dressing birds. These embrace sporting nitrile gloves, protecting eye put on, and a masks. Following any hunt make a degree to observe good hygiene, together with washing arms and any clothes used within the technique of dressing sport that will include blood or feces. Lastly, by no means deal with wildlife that’s sick or displaying indicators of illness. As an alternative, report it to the Recreation Fee.
At this second fowl flu can solely be caught by human contact with contaminated birds or animals however we must always take care not catch it. Why? As a result of the extra individuals who catch it, the extra possible it should mutate inside people to one thing we will unfold immediately to one another. When that occurs, all bets are off. Learn extra about fowl flu transmission and people on the BBC.
