Great number of dead birds discovered in the area of Shabla and Durankulak

Signals were sent to the institutions, but no reaction has ensued. In the meantime the number of dead birds is increasing. On the 19th of January citizens found the carcasses of more than 10 coons (also called water hens) and alarmed the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds. Having in mind the presence of more than 60 centers of bird flu, the inactivity of the authorities about the gathering and destruction of the carcasses causes serious concern.

At the moment intensive hunting of ducks and geese is conducted in the area of the lake of Shabla and Durankulak. Many of the hunters are guests from different places of the country. After the hunt they carry around the acquired animals throughout Bulgaria and could spread the infection. After the established multitude of centers of bird flu throughout the whole country, the Ministry of Agriculture and Foods initially introduced a complete ban on the hunting of wild birds. But a week later, after threats of hunters’ protests, minister Taneva cancelled the order and brought in limitations only in 35 municipalities, where the bird flu was initially established.

The environmentalists ascertain that the initial list of municipalities where the hunting is banned is wrong, because non-existing municipalities (for example two municipalities with the name Zornitza, region Kardjaly, Blagovo municipality, region Montana) have been registered in it. And some of the first municipalities where the flu was established – Kardjaly municipality and others – haven’t been registered. The order also doesn’t suit the requirements of the European Commission, which obliges a 10 km buffer with complete band on hunting to be established around the identified field. The countries can also take measures on a much larger scale taking into account the epizootic situation. For example the Netherlands and Great Britain have also introduced a complete ban on the hunting of birds after the identification of bird flu on their territory.

The environmentalists suspect that samples aren’t taken and measures aren’t undertaken, in order to avoid imposing of band of hunting to new areas. For this reason the list with municipalities where the hunting of birds is banned isn’t updated, despite the new data and despite the wrong and missing names of municipalities in the first list.