Panaji: In response to the recent detection of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in jungle cats at Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AHVS) has initiated a proactive poultry health surveillance drive across Goa. The goal: to ensure early detection and prevention of any potential outbreak of this highly pathogenic virus among poultry birds.
The surveillance campaign will involve blood sample collection from poultry birds on April 21 and April 23. These tests aim to detect the presence of the H5N1 virus — a strain of avian influenza known for its serious impact on both poultry and human health.
“I have instructed all officers to remain vigilant and to report any unusual or sudden mortality among poultry birds,” said AHVS director Nitin Naik. He reassured the public and poultry farmers that no abnormal poultry deaths have been reported in Goa in the past two months.
Naik added, “Neither in domesticated chickens nor in other bird species have we seen any indications of H5N1 in Goa so far. The possibility of the virus being present here is very, very slim.”
Still, officials are not taking any risks. Given that H5N1 is typically more common in birds than wild cats, the fact that two jungle cats succumbed to the virus has prompted AHVS to double down on testing poultry birds across Goa. The department has also stated that, along with disease monitoring, the drive will help update data on the current poultry population in the state.
Poultry farmers are being asked to fully cooperate with field staff during the sample collection process and to immediately report any cases of illness or sudden bird deaths on their farms.
Mario Valadares, a poultry farmer and member of the All Goa Poultry Farmers Committee, voiced his surprise at the virus affecting zoo animals: “We have not seen any such incidences in poultry at our farms. It is surprising, therefore, that the virus can affect such big animals at the zoo.”
He emphasized that poultry farms in Goa follow strict biosecurity protocols: “We vaccinate our chickens, ensure they have enough space, and disinfect our farms regularly to prevent such outbreaks.”
The current concern follows the deaths of five animals — three civet cats and two jungle cats — at the Bondla zoo between March 6 and 9. The zoo was closed temporarily on April 1 as a precaution. Last week, the Goa Forest Department confirmed that the two jungle cats tested positive for the H5N1 strain.
For poultry farmers, this is a timely reminder to stay alert, maintain farm hygiene, and promptly report any unusual symptoms in their birds. The AHVS’s preventive action highlights the importance of surveillance and collaboration in keeping Goa’s poultry sector safe and resilient.
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