Bird Flu, 20 Years Later
Dear Reader,
Across the world, avian influenza (or bird flu) has been wreaking havoc on animals. In Chile alone, as of May 11th, 2026, more than 700,000 birds had either died from the virus or been culled as part of eradication measures.
Growing up, my father owned a poultry farm, and my brothers and I knew its workings inside out. It was not mechanised then, and much of the work — picking up eggs, feeding the birds, cleaning sheds — was physically strenuous. But what made our days truly depressing was when the birds contracted avian influenza and perished by the hundreds.
At the time, I never imagined the virus would one day threaten wildlife far beyond poultry farms.
Decades later, when I read reports about avian influenza, my mind goes back to those days. The virus has expanded its reach and is increasingly being reported among big cats in zoos across Thailand, Vietnam, and India.
In a first documented fatal outbreak among captive big cats in India, three tigers and a sub-adult leopard at Nagpur’s Gorewada Rescue Centre succumbed to the H5N1 virus (the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza) in early 2025. The incident raised alarm because it highlighted the virus’s growing ability to cross species barriers and infect mammals. A few years earlier, more than 140 tigers reportedly died from the virus in Thailand. Most recently, in 2024, 47 tigers died in Vietnamese zoos due to H5N1.
The outbreak also exposed how poorly prepared many zoos and rescue centres across South and Southeast Asia are to handle such infections. In January 2026, the FAO warned that the “ecological expansion” of highly pathogenic avian influenza was affecting new species and ecosystems across Southeast Asia, prompting governments to strengthen wildlife monitoring, cross-border surveillance, and zoo biosecurity preparedness.
Even though disease diagnostic laboratories exist across Indian states, only one agency — ICAR-NIHSAD in Bhopal — provides confirmatory diagnostic services for avian influenza to all states and union territories, according to a 2021 report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
“Zoo authorities should increase monitoring of poultry farms and ensure that meat supplied to big cats comes from registered and legitimate sources. However, this is often not followed,” said Aniruddha Belsare, assistant professor of disease ecology at Auburn University.
Experts say that the only solution is to prevent exposure. “Most zoos today are zoological parks with large open campuses where migratory birds frequently visit. The larger the campus, the greater the risk. Even bird aviaries — large mesh enclosures designed for captive birds to fly — are vulnerable because wild birds from outside can still roost on the mesh,” Dr. N. V. K. Ashraf, Chief Veterinary Officer and Vice President, Wildlife Trust of India.
Warmly,
Laasya Shekhar
Managing Editor
👀 ICYMI
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