(MY) - wild bird hunt

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Friday March 24, 2006 - The Star

 

Penang on wild bird hunt

 

BUTTERWORTH: The State Wildlife and National Parks Department has

captured some 113 migratory and local birds since Monday.

 

Its deputy director Wan Mat Wan Harun said they included protected species.

 

The birds, caught on the mainland and on the island, included egrets,

eagles, kingfishers, swallows and owls.

 

Wan Mat said the operation to capture wild birds would continue until

the state is free of bird flu.

 

He said the exercise was held in collaboration with the state

veterinary department.

 

State Veterinary Department director Dr Zairi Serlan said the captured

birds were sent to the regional veterinary department in Bukit Tengah

where their internal organs were removed for preliminary tests.

 

" If the organs are infected, these will be sent to the veterinary

research institute in Ipoh for further tests, " he added.

 

Dr Zairi said the culling operation in Permatang Bogak, Permatang

Sintok and Permatang Tok Loba in northern Seberang Prai had ended.

 

" Our officers are now going door to door to ensure there are no live

birds in the three areas, " he said.

 

" Surveillance in areas located within 10km of the affected zone will

continue. "

 

Some 1,095 birds in the three areas have been culled since the

exercise started on Monday.

 

At a briefing for residents of the areas on Wednesday night,

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin

Yassin said the Government might relocate farmers in the country who

live too close to water bodies such as ponds and former tin mining

sites.

 

" Migratory birds infected with bird flu tend to stop there for water, "

he said.

 

" They leave droppings which might be eaten by animals from nearby

farms, resulting in the spread of bird flu. "