Cornwall Wildlife Sanctuary Implements Bird Flu Precautions

A wildlife sanctuary in Cornwall, home to over 1,300 exotic and rare birds, has been placed on alert following the confirmation of a bird flu outbreak in a nearby village. Keepers at Paradise Park in Hayle have initiated stringent biosecurity measures to mitigate the potential for the disease to infect its bird collection, after the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was identified on a poultry farm situated near Rosudgeon. All poultry on the affected farm have been culled, a measure that could also be applied to Paradise Park’s collection if bird flu is detected within its premises. Zookeeper Archie Coulthard commented, “It’s causing quite a lot of stress, but we have a great team here and we have high spirits that we can prevent it.” Paradise Park is located within the 10km (6.2 mile) surveillance zone established around the infected farm. Consequently, comprehensive biosecurity measures have been enacted, which include strict disinfection regulations for individuals entering and exiting the park. The park’s staff has relocated a group of Caribbean flamingos to a holding pen, pending the construction of a dedicated polytunnel for them. Mr Coulthard stated, “We’ve moved them indoors to make sure they are undercover at all times, so they won’t contract any disease.” He noted that the majority of the park’s 1,300 birds are exceptionally rare, citing the presence of the sole three falconets in Europe. Additionally, the collection includes lorikeets, which are extinct in their native Indonesia, and there had been an initiative to reintroduce some to establish a new population, a plan now suspended, he clarified. Nick Reynolds, owner of Paradise Park, described this current threat as “really worrying,” expressing similar concerns about the attraction’s long-term viability following a series of recent closures among Cornish theme parks. He further commented, “I am worried obviously seeing Flambards and Dairyland go. My family has been running the park since 1973 and we are not going anywhere. We’ve just got to look after ourselves, but it is a huge worry for us.”