Three zoos of Haryana have remained closed to the public for nearly a year now, earlier due to the Covid-19 pandemic and now the recent scare of Bird flu cases. Haryana Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife) ML Rajvanshi said that as of now, no proposal has been sent to the State Government regarding approval of reopening the Zoos for public owing to ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and bird flu. Renovation works are being done in Zoos of the State, he added.
Rajvanshi told The Pioneer that no case of bird flu among migratory birds and Zoo birds in the State have been reported so far. “Zoos have been closed due to the twin effects of Covid-19 pandemic and Bird flu,” he said.
Rajvanshi said that Haryana has three Zoos in Rohtak, Bhiwani and Kurukshetra. Apart from this, State has two national parks, eight wildlife sanctuaries, two wildlife conservation areas, four animal and bird breeding centers and one deer park, all of which are managed by the Haryana Wildlife and Forest department.
He further said that the samples of the dead birds were earlier sent to the animal disease laboratory in Bhopal, which confirmed the presence of the H-5 strain of bird flu in crows. “No case of bird flu among migratory birds and Zoo birds in the State has been reported so far. We are taking all preventive measures,” he added.
"We are maintaining a watch on the birds'' enclosure. We have issued instructions to the concerned officers if any unusual behaviour is seen in any bird, it will be taken to the isolation ward,” he added.