The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Welsh government have set out guidance in response to the growing threat of avian influenza to wild birds.
The ‘Mitigation Strategy for Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in England and Wales’ sets out how the country can mitigate the impact of avian influenza on wild bird populations whilst protecting public health, the wider environment and the rural economy.
The new guidance advises land managers on how to make natural areas safe for the public, for example by adding signage warning visitors of the risk of avian influenza and what they can do to protect themselves, and having contingency plans in place to allow them to quickly respond to outbreaks.
The guidance sets out the government’s approach to monitoring the spread of avian influenza in wild bird populations and better understanding how the disease is distributed geographically.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has been operating a year-round surveillance programme across Great Britain for found dead wild birds, which allows our world-leading researchers to better understand the latest strain and how it is spreading.
During the current outbreak, over 1,500 wild birds have returned positive results from over 360 locations and 61 different species.
Defra Biosecurity Minister, Lord Benyon said:
“Our wild birds are facing exceptional pressures from avian flu this year and we have seen the tragic effect it has had – particularly on our seabird colonies.
“I very much share concerns about the impact avian influenza is likely to have on breeding populations of wild birds in the future, particularly those that nest in large numbers and represent some of our rarer and species.
“We are funding a science programme to try and better understand how avian influenza is spreading in wild birds and today’s guidance will help land managers, ornithologists and the public manage some of the issues we are facing.
“We will continue to work closely with partners to consider any further action we can take.”
