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Thanet council is warning of suspected cases of bird flu in Thanet and Canterbury.
As a precaution work has started to put signs out at rural paths in Ebbsfleet through Plucks Gutter to St Nicholas and Sarre, to warn the public.
Signs include messages warning people not to handle dead birds or any other wildlife. They also advise against feeding birds and have information on how to report dead birds or other wildlife.
Deceased swans continue to be found in the Sarre Penn area and it is believed the deaths are caused by a suspected pollution incident as well as bird flu now being confirmed.
More than 50 swans and hundreds of fish have now been found dead in the Sarre Penn Stream and River Wantsum which flows into the River Stour. The waterways are connected to all the drainage across the marshes from Minnis Bay to Pegwell. The Sarre Penn area is the dyke waterway system triangulated between Chislet, Grays and St Nicholas-at-Wade. Birds at Minster Marshes have also been affected.
A deceased mink has also been found.
Reports started at the end of last month with dead wildlife at west Stourmouth. An alert was then issued by Kent Wildlife Rescue Service member Johnny Allen earlier this month.
Johnny had been collecting the deceased swans and witnessed swans in distress and now warns that there will be ‘carnage’ when migrating swans arrive throughout December and January, and are wintering up on the affected areas.
He says: “I found the first casualty between Reculver and Minnis Bay on 11th October but didn’t realise its significance until later.
“The swans on the Sarre Penn have been victims of a contaminant/toxin that has entered the water course, hence why both swans and bottom feeding fish had died. The cause or point or the original contamination has yet to be determined.
“Avian influenza has also been identified in the first samples that I passed onto DEFRA.”
He adds that testing is taking place but he has had to stop collecting the deceased animals and while they aren’t being collected by the authorities the risk spreads because local wildlife is feeding on the carcasses.
The cause of deaths is being investigated by the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The EA has relocated several thousand fish.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “The Environment Agency’s investigation into what caused the pollution continues at speed.
“Anyone with information on the incident or if they suspect pollution in rivers and streams elsewhere should contact the 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060.
“Specialist fisheries officers have relocated around 20,000 fish away from the area where the pollution occurred. They continue to monitor conditions and are undertaking further analysis of water samples taken from the stream.
“The affected stretches of Sarre Penn stream and the River Wantsum are returning to normal. The pollutant is continually being diluted, and there is no existing threat to the watercourses or water life.
“The Environment Agency has no evidence any swans died as a result of the pollution.”
Thanet council says where there are warning signs are in place, dog owners are advised to keep their pets on a lead and away from any dead wildlife.
Any wildlife found should be reported to Thanet District Council using the online form: https://www.thanet.gov.uk/info-pages/wildlife-reporting/
Or by calling 01843 577 000 (office hours only).
TDC adds: “Trained officers from the council are responsible for their collection and disposal.
“Government advice is that bird flu is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public’s health is very low.”
Canterbury City Council has also issued a warning, saying: “A number of birds have been found dead in the Chislet Marshes area of the district with suspected avian influenza.
“Avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu, is circulating in seabirds and other wildlife in the area.”
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) says: “A sick or dead wild bird can contain a significant amount of virus. Scavenging mammals that are opportunistic might eat infectious dead or sick birds and be exposed to very large quantities of virus. This gives the potential for the virus to enter a host population that it does not normally infect.”
Tragic and cruelty all in one .Awfull