Arran hit by first bird flu outbreak

By Hugh Boag

 

More than 100 seabirds have died in Arran's first outbreak of bird flu.

 

And there are fears numbers will rise as more are discovered in more remote areas.

 

Charlotte Clough from Arran Vets told the Arran Banner: 'As far as I am aware, this is the first instance of H5N1, known as 'bird flu', on Arran.

 

'The tides and currents will determine if we are affected by future waves of dead birds.

 

It has been a shocking sight to witness first hand these tragic deaths of formerly very healthy birds and fledglings from bird flu and the high death rate of this current strain is concerning for the future of our sea birds.'

 

The first alert was when the full moon high tide on Tuesday July 12 washed up dead and dying guillemots to Arran’s western and southern shores.

 

Two early morning dog walkers on Blackwaterfoot beach and Sliddery shore were the first to witness and report around seven guillemots a piece including fledglings. A week on, volunteers had counted a total of 91 dead guillemots, one razorbill, three herring gull and three gannets.

 

And two sailors reported seeing 15 or so carcasses of guillemots within 50 metres of their boat off the south end of the island.

 

The dying guillemots have displayed all the symptoms of avian influenza - weakness, lethargy and star gazing - and this, combined with the numbers dying, indicates the cause to be bird flu.

 

The two nearby breeding colonies of guillemot on Ailsa Craig and Sanda contain thousands of guillemot as well as other breeding sea birds including gannet, razorbill, puffin, fulmar and shag.

 

Government agencies, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, along with North Ayrshire Council (NAC) are monitoring the situation.

 

One volunteer said: 'There must be others we haven’t seen on more isolated stretches of coast. This is our prime tourist period of the year. The situation has worsened every day. Obviously on day one we thought it was just going to be small numbers and we weren’t sure what was happening.

 

'To try to reduce the risk of the virus spreading to other species on Arran, we have been removing bodies from tourist beaches.'

 

A taskforce to respond to the bird flu crisis across Scotland has been launched by NatureScot which has warned the disease could remain 'for some time'.

 

Charlotte added: 'Around two weeks ago, guillemot and other colony nesting sea birds, started washing up on Islay and Kintyre. Defra has isolated H5N1 from birds in these locations. I have requested Defra to test birds here. I have also requested that NatureScot and Defra approach NAC about notices for beaches and collection of dead guillemot bodies on tourist beaches.

 

'Avian influenza, or bird flu, is a virus that mainly affects birds, especially poultry and water birds. Thankfully the risk to human health and dogs is very low but members of the public should avoid touching dead or sick birds. Poultry keepers should be vigilant and maintain good bio security measures.

 

'Keep poultry food and water protected from wild birds and disinfect hands and footwear before entering areas with captive birds. Stopping dogs having contact with dead birds or areas where dead birds have been on the beach and then contacting captive birds is important.

 

'There are no instructions currently to completely house captive birds.

 

'Poultry farms in Shetland near areas with big deaths of sea birds have contracted bird flu,' said Charlotte.

 

There are no previous records of avian flu being present on wild birds on Arran or in poultry stock in the past 40 years.

 

There are many different strains of bird flu virus and most of them don't infect humans, but there are four strains that have caused concern in recent years.

 

An NAC spokesperson said: 'While avian flu poses a very low risk to humans, anyone finding a dead bird is asked to follow the following advice: don’t touch any wild or sick birds you may come across; keep dogs and other animals away from the birds; avoid feeding wild birds, as this causes them to congregate and may encourage the spread.'

 

If there are more than three dead birds in one area, the Animal and Plant Health Agency should be contacted - www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-apha

 

If fewer than three, please contact the council to uplift - www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/contact-us/contact-us.aspx

 

For more information on how to spot and report Avian flu, please visit www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu/

 

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A guillemot washed up on Kildonan beach where volunteers found nine birds. Photo Charlotte Clough NO_B29flu01

 

One of the two guillemot washed up at Whitefarland. Photo Katy Penn NO_B29flu02

 

A warning notice produced by NatureScot. NO_B29flu03