Hegalaldia provides up internet hosting seabirds for worry of avian flu

“Northern gannets, there are no at this…

“Northern gannets, there aren’t usually at the moment within the Bay of Biscay, they’re in Brittany”, sighs the supervisor. The specimens, in all probability already weakened, tossed about by the winds, got here to die on the Basque coast or the south of the Landes.

Avian flu and its new variants, notably offensive with the three decimated species, are suspected. The conditional stays rigorous, pending affirmation by particular assessments on the stays. However Hegalaldia has already taken a radical choice, notified this Saturday, September 3 on its Fb web page, “with a heavy coronary heart and full of disappointment”: the tip of the reception of seabirds.

Precautionary precept. For the fauna presently being cared for contained in the centre, nestled in Ustaritz, i.e. “between 80 and 100 people”. But in addition for the small arms that care for it: “We do not wish to take any dangers with our volunteers and our trainees, we have now about ten folks on website. These new variants aren’t identified. Within the Bay of Somme, a seal was contaminated. »

Outcomes on the finish of the week

With this draconian measure, Céline Maury additionally hopes to get up an administration deemed too unresponsive: “We wish to transfer the providers of the State, confirms the exasperated director. It’s not regular that we’re with out info on the steps to take, when we have now identified for months that it’s going to come from England after which from the north of France. »

For the reason that discovery this summer time of circumstances displaying signs of avian flu – “state of weak spot, cloudy eyes, fast dying” – Hegalaldia says he has multiplied alerts, with the French Workplace for Biodiversity (OFB ), the Ministry of the Setting, the Departmental Directorate for the Safety of Populations (DDPP). With out receiving any particular directions.

Till this Monday, September 5 afternoon. In response to the director of Hegalaldia, the DDPP (which “Sud Ouest” has not but succeeded in contacting) has proven itself to be very irritated by the centre’s communication. Nevertheless, it might have began to facilitate the procedures for the examination of the corpses. The latter have simply left Ustaritz to be analyzed by a laboratory. “We may have the outcomes Thursday or Friday. »

And not using a lasting answer

Nevertheless, the gathering of seabirds stays blocked, with no identified resumption date: “We cease till there is no such thing as a extra avian flu on these species or till the DDSP offers us with options. We have been saying it for a very long time, we’re too cramped on our website, we do not have a quarantine zone, or a veterinarian to handle sick birds, ”regrets Céline Maury.

I do not even know if there will probably be many birds collected by Hegalaldia within the subsequent few years”