ISLAMABAD, Feb 19: The capital’s Marghazar Zoo has been closed for visitors amid bird flu scare. The decision has been taken as a precautionary measures to control the spread of the Avian Influenza H5N1 bird flu strain that is suspected to have killed a dozen ducks and pea-hens over the last week, zoo officials and veterinary experts told Dawn on Monday.

Tests at referral laboratories in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi indicate the existence of the H5N1 virus in the zoo birds. However the results of the tests are yet to be received to confirm the virus.

Informed sources told Dawn that last week ducks were found dead on a pond which raised concern of the zoo officials. The dead ducks were sent to the National Reference Laboratory on the instructions of veterinary experts.

While, the zoo officials were waiting for the report, a dozen more ducks and five pea-hens also died during the last couple of days.

An expert at the National Reference Laboratory requesting not to be named, confirmed the existence of H5N1 bird flu strain that killed the zoo birds.

It is the first case of bird flu attack in a zoo and the fourth in Pakistan this year sending a wave of scare among the animal lovers.

The presence of bird flu virus in a domestic flock of turkeys and peacocks in Islamabad were confirmed on February 6.

Rawalpindi and Mansehra are the other places where the virus has been found in domestic flocks of chickens and peacocks.

According to Livestock Commissioner Dr Muhammad Afzal all the chickens in the flock of about 40 birds at a house in Rawalpindi had died or culled as a result of H5N1.

The Director of Marghazar Zoo, Raja Javed, when contacted confirmed that a dozen of ducks and five pea-hens have so far been found dead and sent to the reference laboratories in Rawalpindi and Islamabad for examination.

Mr Javed said that a mass campaign has been launched to vaccinate all species of animals and birds in the zoo as well as carrying out disinfection sprays in all cages of the zoo. The dead birds have been buried safely.

He said that the authorities have decided to close the zoo for visitors from Tuesday on the instruction of experts for monitoring and prevention of Avian influenza.

It is now almost certain that due to the outbreak of bird flu, the arrival of two pairs of zebras at the Marghazar Zoo will be delayed. The zebras were scheduled to be added to the zoo in next few days.

It has been estimated that approximately 275,000 people including children visit the zoo annually.

Last year, hundreds of thousands of flu-hit birds were culled in commercial farms in various parts of the country, causing a loss of Rs10 billion to the poultry industry.

The federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock has sought Rs1.185 billion in the next budget for monitoring and surveillance of bird flu.

The project also includes legislations that will remove hurdles in the way of forming a national level integrated strategy to control the avian flu.

In a related move, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have asked the government to come up with a project to monitor the spread of avian flu not only in animals but also in humans.