SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)- Officials with the Rosamond Gifford Zoo put their birds inside because the Avian Influenza was detected in Central New York.
Zoo director, Ted Fox, told NewsChannel 9 the bird flu was found in Montezuma which isn’t too far from Syracuse. So to get ahead of the virus, he decided to put the birds indoors and his employees are also making changes. “Clothing like tyvek suits, or booties for your feet, gloves, a mask, so we don’t transmit anything or potential for us picking anything up. Not that it’s high or likely at all, but just like through COVID we want to be extra careful.”
The Diversity of Birds Aviary is also closed because it’s an open area where people can walk through, and Fox says it’s too risky to keep it open because people can carry the virus and give it to birds. The flamingo’s aren’t in the main pond, the sea eagles are in a different location, and the penguins are also inside.
Fox says he’s hoping to get the birds back out by the beginning of May, but health and safety of the birds it’s what’s most important right now. “This is a temporary blip and I know that people understand that we do everything we possibly can to keep the animals in our care safe everyday.”
Fox says there have been no positive cases.
