A recent break out of extremely pathogenic bird influenza HPAI in Doncaster has actually triggered issues over the safety of Sheffield’s parks, both for wildlife and visitors.
Following on from the lifting of the necessary housing order in location for poultry on the 18th April, there have actually been 2 significant believed events of HPAI in the Yorkshire location.
A presumed occurrence was reported at North Cave Wetlands in East Yorkshire on the 27th April, and a break out was validated in Cantley, Doncaster on the 29th April, causing a 2 mile security zone and 6 mile security zone entering into impact.
Eve Street, 20, a Tesco employee and trainee at Sheffield Hallam University, has actually been left worried for the safety of regional wildlife.
She said: “I most likely go to the park as soon as a week in the winter season time, however possibly two times a week when it’s warmer.
“Wildlife is 110% the reason I go, I’m not really interested in parks that don’t have ducks, or geese, or things you can feed.”
As just recently as in 2015, Sheffield’s Weston Park was impacted by a bird influenza break out.
Street said: “The just location I learnt about [the outbreaks] was Weston Park due to the fact that there was an indication at the entryway of Weston Park on the notification board that said ‘Please don’t feed the ducks’.
“This must’ve been a while ago, February time, maybe longer, but I only noticed that after I’d fed the ducks.”
“I didn’t see the sign because it was in a notice board that nobody really looks at, if it was near to where the ducks are and more obvious I wouldn’t have fed the ducks.”
The UK’s previous HPAI occurrence resulted in the culling of almost 4 million birds, and because 1st October 2022 there have actually been 182 validated cases in people.
Street said: “Weston Park is right near the children’s hospital and I’ve seen poorly children feeding the ducks, it would make me very sad knowing that somebody who might have a condition that weakens their immune system could get sick.”
Street continued: “Animals require well-being checks, I don’t understand if they do, however it makes me sad believing that they don’t.
“Make sure they get inspected, due to the fact that if they get bird influenza they need to eliminate them which’s horrible.
“I probably won’t go to the park as much now, I forgot it existed and I didn’t realise there were more recent outbreaks.”
The UK Health Security Agency state that the threat to public health from HPAI is low, as it mainly impacts birds, and the Food Standards Agency recommend that effectively prepared poultry items are safe.
If you believe a break out in a park in Sheffield, call the Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust on 01142634335.
