Patna: The authorities at Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, one of Patna’s most visited public spaces, have imposed heightened biosecurity measures after bird flu infections were confirmed in Darbhanga and Bhagalpur’s Naugachhia area.
Zoo officials said they were operating on a “war footing”, with the safety of animals and birds declared the top priority. Any lapse, they warned, would not be tolerated.
Special sanitisation arrangements have been put in place at the zoo’s main entrance and Gate Number 2. Visitors are now allowed entry only after their shoes and vehicle tyres are disinfected using water mixed with potassium permanganate. Disinfectant carpets have also been laid at entry points to reduce the risk of external contamination.
To further limit the possibility of transmission, the zoo has overhauled feeding practices. In the aviary, carnivorous birds are being fed mice instead of chicks. Chicken has been completely removed from the diet of carnivorous animals, with alternative food sources introduced to eliminate potential exposure to the virus.
Zoo staff are spraying lime and potassium permanganate daily around bird enclosures and aviary sections. Gloves, masks and a separate dress code have been made mandatory for all employees, who have also been instructed to sanitise themselves after leaving animal enclosures.
This is not the first time the zoo has faced a bird flu threat. In December 2018, the H5N1 virus was confirmed after six peacocks died, forcing the zoo to shut for nearly 20 days. It reopened in mid-January 2019 after the situation stabilised.
Officials said the current precautions were designed to prevent a repeat of that episode, stressing that constant monitoring would continue until the risk subsides.
