Bird flu: Delhi zoo uses monitoring app

NEW DELHI: After the death of a brown fish owl at National Zoological Park due to bird flu, the zoo staff is using the E-bird app to count and record birds daily for monitoring. Birders use this app to track birds while carrying out a census, but zoo staff and officials have started using this app to maintain a record of the birds in free range and captivity. Officials and staff are walking up to 10-15 kilometres in a day to cover the premises.
Delhi zooreported its first case of bird flu on January 16 after the death of a brown fish owl in captivity, which had tested positive for H5N8 strain of avian flu. However, reports of other six samples, including Painted Storks, tested negative for the flu. After a case of bird flu is detected, the government protocol says that intensive monitoring should be done to record birds and check if any of them is looking unhealthy.
Ramesh Pandey, director, National Zoological Park, said, “Birders mostly use E-bird app for bird watching or conducting a census. They maintain a checklist on the app on the number of birds and species recorded in a landscape and the collected data is later used for research. We had used this app when a bird count happened last year at the zoo.”
He added that the apart from monitoring bird species and population for daily records, the app also shows how many kilometres were covered on foot as vehicles are not allowed in the area.
Zoo officials also said that the areas are being regularly sanitised apart from following safety norms and surveillance.
According to zoo officials, 23 species of free ranging birds like Painted storks, Little cormorant, Rosy falcon and Pond heron were spotted on Saturday. However, 39 species of birds are in captivity, like macau, cockatiel, endemic owls and red jungle fowls.
Meanwhile, a visit-cum-workshop of Dr Asit Das of NDRI Karnal was organised at Delhi zoo for food and nutrition of animals in captivity. “We have enriched the animals’s food and had also organised a feast week for their good diet and health. We serve quality food to over 1,100 animals daily,” said an official.