Poachers at risk of bird flu, gov't warns

An environment official on Monday warned poachers of the dangers of illegal hunting of birds amid the outbreak of bird flu in Pampanga.

Aside from the fact that it's illegal, illegal bird hunting also put the hunters at risk of getting infected with the avian flu, Director Mundita Lim of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) said in an interview on News To Go.

"May mga parusa tayo [sa poaching], pero during this time, mas lalong hindi lang dahil sa parusang maipapataw sa kanila pero dahil sa health concerns na mangyayari pagka sila ay pumapatay o nanghuhuli ng mga wild birds natin," Lim said.

Lim said interaction with wild birds should be limited to bird watching and photography as wild birds tend to avoid contact when approached.

"Wala naman. Actually, 'pag nilapitan mo yan, lumilipad naman sila. Sa mga bird watchers, bird photographers, wala namang direct contact," she said.

"Sa mga findings ng scientists, nagkakaron ng mga incidents diyan kung close contact yung migratory birds with domesticated birds, pero walang nagja-jump na migratory birds na diretso sa tao," Lim added.

Though the public is cautioned against approaching wild birds, it has yet to be determined if the strain of the outbreak in Pampanga came from wild birds or other sources.

"As of now, hindi natin masasabi immediately galing siya sa migratory birds or wild birds," Lim said.

Samples of the infected chicken were sent to Australia last week to determine the avian flu's exact strain.

Culling operations in San Luis, Pampanga, have so far euthanized 16,700 out of the 200,000 birds, regardless of type or domestication, within the one-kilometer or 0.6 mile quarantine zone as per the Department of Health's avian influenza guidelines. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News