Authorities closed the Skopje Zoo in North Macedonia on Saturday, citing “technical difficulties.” However, the real reason behind the unexpected shutdown was the detection of H5N1 bird flu in a dead goose found in the garden pond.
A press statement issued later by the Agency for Food and Veterinary Medicine (AHV) confirmed the presence of the avian flu virus:
“Laboratory results confirmed a case of the presence of a pathogenic strain of the Avian influenza H5N1 virus,” the statement said.
AHV authorities went on to implement measures to curb the spreading of the disease, killing 35 other birds that were potentially in contact with the infected goose. Humanely killed were 24 ducks, six geese, five chickens, and one jackdaw that were near the infected goose.
The authorities announced that Skopje Zoo will remain closed for three weeks to disinfect and protect other animals. Enhanced steps will be implemented during this time to stop the virus from spreading further.
However, zoo management condemned the action of the AHV as unnecessary and murderous:
“For this deed, ZOO Skopje will file criminal charges against the director of AHV as well as the inspectors and persons who broke into ZOO Skopje with weapons,” a Facebook post stated.
Established in 1926, Skopje’s zoo is among the most frequented sites in the city, drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists annually from throughout the Western Balkans and the nation.
Over the years, the zoo has been criticized for how animals live. Beginning in 2008, the government lavishly funded renovations, collaborating with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) to bring the zoo up to date.
