MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

“Agartala, March 12 (IANS): Close on the heels of the detection of bird flu at two government-run farms in western Tripura, mysterious deaths of some animals and birds at the Sepahijala Zoo has put the authorities on alert.

‘Since last week, three leopards, a wild cat and 13 birds, including some extremely endangered species, have been found dead at the zoo enclosures. We have sent samples to state and national level laboratories,’ Director of Sepahijala Zoo and head of the wildlife sanctuary Ajit Bhowmik told IANS on Saturday.”  Read more.

“Seals are washing up on New Jersey beaches by the dozen, according to reports given to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, N.J.

There have been 26 seal strandings in New Jersey since November, sources say. Fourteen of those strandings happened in February.

While it is not unusual for seals to get stranded this time of year, there are more than usual showing up on Jersey shore beaches, according to a spokeswoman for the Brigantine center.

The gray and harbor seals found on the beaches are malnourished and have parasites, authorities say. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center is housing 11 seals right now — making the center two-thirds full.”  Read more.

“We are getting reports of a number of dead swans in the GC in Dublin. They are concentrated on the 7th level from Portobello to Suir Road Bridge.

A number were taken from the water for analysis last week. A number of sick birds were also found and were taken to the DSPCA depot for treatment.

Another half dozen birds have been found dead this AM.

Initial reports suggest that the problem is NOT Avian Flu but is more likely some form of botulism or other bacterial infection. The source is as yet unknown but a number of dead and rotting sea-fish were found in the area and that is one possible source. Swans are known to be susceptible to this infection and similar cases have been reported from other areas in the past.

There were also suggestions that the dredging programme may have disturbed some bacteria in the sediment but this is seen as unlikely given the infected birds are some distance from the dredging site.”  Source.

“An outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu was diagnosed in a village near the West Bank city of Jenin, Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported on Saturday.

The Palestinian Authority Agriculture Ministry said that a flock of 2,000 turkeys was diagnosed with the virus but that its veterinary department had managed to prevent an epidemic, according to the report.

The PA’s veterinary unit destroyed the entire flock of turkeys and sterilized the farm before final results confirming the presence of the virus were even returned from a lab in Israel, Ma’an reported.”  Source.

“Agartala, March 3: Close on the heels of an avian flu outbreak in the state, an unidentified disease has claimed the lives of 10 birds of varied species and three animals in the Sipahijala sanctuary in the past three days.

Authorities of the santuary, 30km south of this town, have initiated precautionary measures and closed the zoo and bird sanctuary to public. They have also banned poultry feed for the birds and animals.

But despite primary tests of blood and other samples collected from the dead animals and birds, no evidence of avian flu or any other known disease has been found by experts of the animal disease diagnosis centre here.”  Read more.

“A FURTHER 17 swans have been taken off the Marine Lake due to a mystery illness.

The total number of swans removed from the water in 10 days is now 36, with at least seven dead and the rest in critical conditions.

The ill birds are being looked after at Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Cheshire. Post-mortem examinations are also being carried out.

Volunteers from the RSPCA have been working together with Southport Swan Rescue to save the remaining birds on the lake.

RSPCA inspector Ian Robertson said: ‘This is getting up to a third of all the swans in the lake in a space of time that isn’t even two weeks.

All we know so far is that it is a bacterial problem.'” Read more.

“About 1,000 ducks found dead earlier this week at a farm in southern South Korea were confirmed Saturday to have been infected with a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, raising concern that the lethal virus is spreading in the country, officials said.

The H5A1 virus was found on the duck farm in Damyang county of South Jeolla Province, about 350 kilometers south of Seoul, quarantine officials said.”  Read more.

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.  Read more.