Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Bird Flu fears after 16 swan deaths in six weeks at Stratford-upon-Avon
Feb 20 2011 by Sarah Taylor, Sunday Mercury
HORRIFIED bird lovers demanded an urgent investigation last night after the mystery deaths of SIXTEEN swans in just six weeks.
The ?unprecedented? number of fatalities has wiped out around 30 per cent of the population along the River Avon in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Now wildlife experts are calling for immediate tests on the dead bodies ? after raising fears that Bird Flu may be responsible.
Swan rescue volunteer and former Stratford Mayor Cyril Bennis said: ?This is the worst case of deaths I?ve seen in 30 years of working with swans in Stratford.
?I picked up three this week, two from Stratford and one from Luddington and it was quite distressing.
?I?ve collected all the dead birds, some young and some old, many have been very thin.
??Is it lead poisoning or is it Bird Flu? We just don?t know ? but the problem is not going away.
...
http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/m...-weeks-at-stratford-upon-avon-66331-28200030/
Feb 20 2011 by Sarah Taylor, Sunday Mercury
HORRIFIED bird lovers demanded an urgent investigation last night after the mystery deaths of SIXTEEN swans in just six weeks.
The ?unprecedented? number of fatalities has wiped out around 30 per cent of the population along the River Avon in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Now wildlife experts are calling for immediate tests on the dead bodies ? after raising fears that Bird Flu may be responsible.
Swan rescue volunteer and former Stratford Mayor Cyril Bennis said: ?This is the worst case of deaths I?ve seen in 30 years of working with swans in Stratford.
?I picked up three this week, two from Stratford and one from Luddington and it was quite distressing.
?I?ve collected all the dead birds, some young and some old, many have been very thin.
??Is it lead poisoning or is it Bird Flu? We just don?t know ? but the problem is not going away.
...
http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/m...-weeks-at-stratford-upon-avon-66331-28200030/