Cork poultry farmer concerned about his turkeys contracting bird flu
Olivia Kelleher
A poultry farmer who is based near Fota Wildlife Park in Co Cork has expressed concern that bird flu will spread to his turkey flock via migratory birds, following the confirmation of several cases at the popular tourist attraction.
The wildlife facility is closed to the public until further notice after three geese on-site died from the avian flu virus. Samples were taken from the geese and the Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of the virus.
In an interview with RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, farmer Robert Fitzsimmons, said that it is a “stressful time” for him as turkeys are their big business in the run-up to Christmas
“If God forbid, we did get it (bird flu) it would financially destroy the business. We are living in the flight path between Ballintubber and Rostellan and migratory birds fly over us daily.
"And it's just a worrying time that turkeys could pick up this in H5N1, and if they do, first of all, it would be very serious for the welfare of the birds, obviously, and second of all, financially.”
He said that their turkeys are currently inside and they are doing everything they can to keep them virus-free.
He added that local officials have advised him not to leave the turkeys outside.
"I suppose for the greater population of poultry farmers, I would like to see action being taken in a housing order, and definitely if it gets any worse, we do need to be very aware and get an exclusion zone because it's our livelihoods."
"Basically, we're doing everything we can. We've disinfected the doors, the traffic in and out of the premises is at a minimum. So, we're doing our best.”
Mr Fitzsimmons said that it will be hard to contain bird flu in Ireland.
"It spreads and it's there and we don't know how we're going to contain it or the department is probably going to have a huge job to contain it, to be fair, if it goes wrong because it's in the wild population."
He has appealed to people with even eight or ten hens not to feed them outside.
"Because even though the smaller producers with the backyard poultry mightn't think they're any threat or doesn't matter to me, but it matters to the greater industry."
Fota Wildlife Park is home to over 100 animal species, many of which are endangered or at risk of extinction in the wild.
The park actively participates in European Endangered Species Programmes for species such as the Asian lion, Indian rhino, Northern cheetah, and red panda.
It collaborates with zoological organisations across Europe and the UK under the guidance of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. The park first opened to the public in June 1983.
