The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered the closure of zoos in Lucknow and Kanpur for a week, a day after similar precautionary measures were taken in Gorakhpur and Etawah, following the detection of bird flu in a tigress that died at the Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan Zoo in Gorakhpur, officials said Wednesday.Forest Minister Arun Kumar Saxena said surveillance has been intensified not just in zoos, but also in poultry farms across the state.
The zoo shutdown — effective from May 14 to May 20 — was ordered by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Anuradha Vemuri, in line with directives issued during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday.
The decision aims to prevent any possible transmission of the virus and to enhance surveillance across zoos and poultry farms.