UP Zoos Closed After Bird Flu Kills Two Big Cats, Tiger Reserves on Alert
Following the deaths of a tigress in Gorakhpur and a lion in Kanpur due to H5N1, the Central Zoo Authority has shut all zoos in UP till May 20 and issued alerts for tiger reserves.
The death of two big cats — a tigress in Gorakhpur zoo and a lion in Kanpur zoo — due to H5N1 bird flu has prompted the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to shut down all zoos in Uttar Pradesh and the Etawah Lion Safari until May 20, and issue a bird flu alert across the state’s tiger reserves.
A five-member CZA team has been formed to probe the death of Shakti, the tigress who died on May 7, while Pataudi, a lion in Kanpur, died on May 15. The team is expected to submit a report within 15 days.While tiger reserves remain open to the public, officials have been instructed to be vigilant. Staff at Dudhwa, Pilibhit, and Amangarh reserves, among others, have been asked to monitor wild animals for unusual behaviour and keep a close watch on avian deaths inside the sanctuaries.“Tiger reserves hardly get the impact of bird flu as wild animals are away from human contact. But our staff has been told to remain alert,” said H Rajamohan, Director of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.
Staff in tiger reserves have been divided into teams covering core, buffer, and outer zones, with veterinarians tasked with monitoring for symptoms and reporting any suspicious animal or bird deaths.
Although no other zoo animals or forest staff have shown symptoms so far, samples have been sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Disease (NIHSAD) in Bhopal for confirmation.
Rajamohan explained that the main risk comes from local migratory birds, like storks, which travel short distances within forest patches and may stop near human habitations where the virus could be present.
Enhanced biosecurity and health monitoring protocols have been put in place in zoos across Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, and Etawah Safari, with divisional forest officers ordered to conduct regular checkups and report any abnormalities without delay.
