‘Bird flu not new, but government must act to contain it’: Dr Samad Kottur

BENGALURU: As the country is recovering from the impact of Covid19 and the new strain of the virus, news of Bird Flu cases has triggered panic among people. But noted wildlife expert Dr Samad Kottur, in an interview with TNSE, points ut that bird flu is not new and there is a need for more research.

Other states, like Kerala, have started mass culling of birds over bird flu scare. Should Karnataka too follow the procedure? 
Mass culling of infected birds is only an emergency solution and prevention is better than cure. We need to disinfect bird locations in advance to stop the spread of infection. Lakes, bird reserves, sanctuaries, breeding and roosting spots of birds should be monitored and infected well in advance. But containing the spread of diseases among birds is not easy. Veterinary experts and virologists should be consulted. The government can take the help of local ornithologists to keep an eye on birds and to take preventive measures.

Do we need to worry about bird flu as it is now becoming an annual occurrence? 
The inter-species barrier is becoming weak and that is why SARS, MERS, Covid and other such diseases are spreading from animals to humans. The government’s task should be to stop any instance of bird flu spreading to humans and to find preventive measures. People should be told not to touch sick or dead wild birds and how to deal with such birds. 

Different kinds of migratory birds arrive at different parts of Karnataka, which also has birds that are endemic to the region. There were reports of crows dying in Dakshina Kannada. Is it alarming?
Crows are scavengers, but have now become victims of pollution and pesticides. We need to double-check the cause of these deaths to find out whether they died because of some poison in the garbage or any other reason. In the backwaters of TB Dam and other reservoirs, as the water recedes, farmers broadcast seeds of black gram (urad dal), uddu etc., soaked with fungicide. A lot of migratory birds, swamp hens etc., have died in large numbers in the past due because of this. Any such mass deaths of birds cannot be attributed only to bird flu.
 
Is there enough research done on the cause of bird flu as some say people are the carries, while others say it is because of poultry and migratory birds? 
We saw local chicken varieties suffering from a kind of disease during late winter and early summer some 40 years ago. Bird flu is not new and it has been there for ages. The problem has aggravated now because of more number of poultries, increased irrigated areas and wetlands, which attract migratory birds. 

Which are the most vulnerable species and spots for bird flu?
Basically, the carriers are migratory birds. Villagers and common people should be made aware of the disease and told how to prevent it. Wearing of masks and gloves, hand sanitisation, etc will help in preventing the disease.