As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Thursday 13 June 2013

Rare birds smuggled into Europe from Indonesia have to be killed after one is found to have deadly H5N1 virus


Rare birds smuggled into Vienna International Airport from Bali in Indonesia
All were killed after tests discovered one had deadly H5N1 virus
60 birds included wild parrots, birds of paradise and other exotic species



PUBLISHED: 13:48, 12 June 2013 | UPDATED: 15:41, 12 June 2013

Dozens of rare birds smuggled into Europe from Indonesia had to be killed after one was discovered to have the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus.

The 60 birds - wild parrots, birds of paradise and other exotic species - had been trafficked from Bali to Qatar and then through Austria's Vienna International Airport.

They were smuggled in a suitcase before being killed by vets after the smugglers were caught. More than 30 of the birds were already dead when customs officials opened the case.

Tests on the bodies revealed that at least one of the birds had been infected with the deadly H5N1 virus.

A customs spokesman said: 'As a result of the discovery, all the surviving birds have been destroyed by the border veterinary service.


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