Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=4162
Thai officials working to prevent birdflu outbreak
Bueng Boraped in the central province of Nakhon Sawan, encompassing over 50,000 acres is home to more than 270 farmland birds and waterbirds. The Bueng Boraped Wildlife Research Station has randomly collected samples from the birds every month after some birds were infected with the H5N1 virus in 2004. Although the number of infected birds was not large, officials took serious action to prevent any spread of the disease.
Every month, officials gather excretion and mucus from the open billed storks and send this for lab tests. These birds are tagged with leg bands, so their migration routes can be indicated. When an outbreak occurs, the information will help officials to contain the disease.
? We can indicate the area to prevent the outbreak from spreading, if we can track their migration routes.?, said Krairat Iam-ampai, head of Bueng Boraped Wildlife Research Station.
The preventive measures implemented at Bueng Boraped have kept the area free from bird flu since 2006. Infected birds were destroyed and disinfectant was sprayed around their habitats. Mobile operation units have also been working to prevent poultry diseases in wild bird habitats in other regions of the country.
? We cooperate with local authorities to inform local people to refrain from entering at risk areas or raising animals in at-risk areas. We frequently conduct random checks to test samples of birds and burn bird carcasses to prevent the disease spreading.?, said Tuangrat Phothieng head of Migratory Bird Study Project.
Almost half of the nearly 1,000 kind of birds found in Thailand are migratory birds. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment plans to study bird migration routes with radio tracking via satellite and create maps presenting bird migration routes and their temporary habitats. Ornithologists in Thailand and other countries are also working together in an attempt to increase efficiency in bird flu prevention.
Features : Last Update : 10:18:51 8 May 2008 (GMT+7:00)
Thai officials working to prevent birdflu outbreak
Bueng Boraped in the central province of Nakhon Sawan, encompassing over 50,000 acres is home to more than 270 farmland birds and waterbirds. The Bueng Boraped Wildlife Research Station has randomly collected samples from the birds every month after some birds were infected with the H5N1 virus in 2004. Although the number of infected birds was not large, officials took serious action to prevent any spread of the disease.
Every month, officials gather excretion and mucus from the open billed storks and send this for lab tests. These birds are tagged with leg bands, so their migration routes can be indicated. When an outbreak occurs, the information will help officials to contain the disease.
? We can indicate the area to prevent the outbreak from spreading, if we can track their migration routes.?, said Krairat Iam-ampai, head of Bueng Boraped Wildlife Research Station.
The preventive measures implemented at Bueng Boraped have kept the area free from bird flu since 2006. Infected birds were destroyed and disinfectant was sprayed around their habitats. Mobile operation units have also been working to prevent poultry diseases in wild bird habitats in other regions of the country.
? We cooperate with local authorities to inform local people to refrain from entering at risk areas or raising animals in at-risk areas. We frequently conduct random checks to test samples of birds and burn bird carcasses to prevent the disease spreading.?, said Tuangrat Phothieng head of Migratory Bird Study Project.
Almost half of the nearly 1,000 kind of birds found in Thailand are migratory birds. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment plans to study bird migration routes with radio tracking via satellite and create maps presenting bird migration routes and their temporary habitats. Ornithologists in Thailand and other countries are also working together in an attempt to increase efficiency in bird flu prevention.
Features : Last Update : 10:18:51 8 May 2008 (GMT+7:00)