AMID apprehensions of possible spread of bird flu, authorities in Uttar Pradesh have ordered the temporary closure of two major wildlife centres -- the Gorakhpur Zoo and the Etawah Lion Safari -- after it was confired that a tigress died in captivity due to the H5N1 virus in Gorakhpur, officials said on Tuesday. In Gorakhpur, the Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan Zoo was shut down for a week after viscera samples from the tigress Shakti tested positive for bird flu at the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal. The closure, ordered by Zoo Director Vikas Yadav under directives from the Chief Conservator of Forests, will remain in effect until May 21. So far, four animal deaths have been reported from the zoo -- a tiger, a tigress, a leopard, and a female wolf. The most recent fatality was Mona, a female leopard brought from Kanpur, who died on Thursday. Earlier, tigress Shakti died on May 7, and a female wolf named Bhairavi passed away on Saturday.

 

Another tiger, Kesari, had died under similar conditions on March 30. A zoo official said that both Shakti and Bhairavi showed symptoms such as reduced water intake followed by organ failure. Their samples were sent to both IVRI Bareilly and NIHSAD Bhopal. While Shakti’s report confirmed bird flu, results for Bhairavi are still awaited. A sick tiger named Pataudi was also transferred to Kanpur Zoo recently, prompting further concerns about possible spread. In a related move, the Etawah Lion Safari and the Asiatic Lion Breeding Centre have also been closed to visitors for seven days, from May 14 to May 20, as a preventive measure. The decision comes in light of the confirmed bird flu case in the Gorakhpur zoo, officials said. Etawah Safari Director Anil Kumar Patel said that although there has been no confirmed case within the safari yet, the ill health of Pataudi -- a lion from Etawah Safari who was recently shifted to Kanpur Zoo for treatment -- added to the concern.

 

As a result, enhanced biosecurity measures have been put in place. Safari staff have been instructed to immediately report if they or their family members suffer from any illness. Entry into enclosures will be strictly regulated, and any sign of lethargy, reduced appetite or abnormal nasal or eye discharge in animals must be immediately reported to veterinary teams. All staff have been directed to wear gloves, face masks, PPE kits, and use hand sanitisers. Teams have been deployed to monitor hygiene and animal behaviour inside the safari, with daily sanitisation drives ordered. Dead animals or birds found in the safari are to be promptly reported to senior officials. Meanwhile, in Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a high-level meeting on Tuesday and directed officials to maintain maximum vigilance across all zoos in the State. He emphasised that the safety of protected animals and birds in zoos, sanctuaries, national parks, wetlands and cow shelters must be treated as a top priority. The Government has instructed forest and animal husbandry departments to coordinate efforts and ensure swift containment of any suspected outbreak.