PUEBLO — Officials in the Pueblo West Metro District are warning of a rise in Avian Flu cases.
According to the district, 14 birds have been found dead in the Cattail Crossing area since the beginning of the year. Some of these birds have tested positive for the Avian Flu.
"It is just jarring when you hear that it happens and on all of these we start doing our own investigations and figure out if its something we need to alert the greater authorities to," Anthony Sandstrom, Pueblo West communications director says.
Bird watchers in Colorado Springs say they have spotted an unusual number of dead geese around the city.
“It's devastating when we see anything that takes birds out of the picture because habitat loss and climate change are already affecting them,” Linda Hodges, Chair of the Aiken Audubon Society chapter says.
It was about a year ago when Avian Flu in Colorado was first discovered among snow geese along their migratory path on the northeast edge of the state. At several locations, investigators found more than a thousand dead geese on a single reservoir.
“A few members of our Audubon group have seen them at Big Johnson, Prospect Lake, the Air Force Academy,” Hodges says.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has a fact sheet posted online at this link with background and advice on what to do if you suspect Avian Flu in a bird. People are urged not to touch sick or dead birds because humans can become infected, although this is rare.
Pueblo West Metro District officials say if you find a dead bird at Cattail Crossing to contact Parks & Wildlife at 719-561-5300.
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