(MY) swiftlet hotels

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Swiftlet 'hotels' cleared of bird flu - New Straits Times

Jessica Lim

 

PUTRAJAYA, Sat. 5th March 06

--

Residents living near edible bird's nest swiftlet " hotels " who fear a

bird flu threat can rest easy.

 

 

Regular surveillance tests by the Department of Veterinary Services

since 2000 have all come back negative for the dreaded virus.

 

The department's head of exotic animals unit, Dr Fazdilah A'ini Abd

Kadir, said that it was highly unlikely for the birds, whose nests can

sell for up to RM11,000 per kg, to be carriers of the virus.

 

" They are non-migratory, and do not share flying or roosting space

with other birds. So their chances of contracting the virus is

minimal. "

 

The birds, she said, never perched anywhere except on their own nests

and the swiftlets did not have the same food and water source as other

birds, as they drank water droplets in the atmosphere and were

insectivorous.

 

She added that swiftlet droppings were dry, and tests showed they

contained no pathogenic parasites.

 

The swabs and dropping samples collected from birds in randomly

selected swiftlet " hotels " nationwide are subjected to a standard

test, which checks for Newcastle Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian

Influenza or bird flu.

 

She said the department would continue to monitor the estimated 10,000

swiftlet " hotels " in the country, which generate about 50 tonnes of

bird's nest a year.

 

Although the import and export of bird's nest has been regulated since

1962, a guideline for edible nest swiftlet premises was only drafted

in 2000, and revised in October.

 

On a report in the Malay Mail yesterday which highlighted the high

noise level and poor hygiene of bird " hotels " , she said that the

complaints probably arose because the owners of premises did not

follow the guidelines.