BILLINGS — According to the CDC and USDA, over 147 million birds across the United States have contracted Avian Influenza, commonly referred to as Bird Flu.
MTN checked in with ZooMontana to see what precautions the zoo is taking in the midst of the outbreak.
See MTN's previous reporting on Bird Flu:
The outbreak has not reached Yellowstone County, although one surrounding county, Rosebud, has seen one case among birds.
Jeff Ewelt, the executive director of ZooMontana, told MTN Tuesday he isn't concerned about the bird flu yet, but if cases spike in Montana, he will take more precautions to protect the animals.
"In worst-case scenario, if numbers get really bad here in Montana, and we are concerned to the point where we are going to start taking some really radical modifications here at the zoo, it's going to be a lot of covering habitats to keep small birds out. Animals like the bald eagle... may actually be moved to another area of the zoo, where we can actually safely net them in, so small birds aren't going to be attracted to them," Ewelt said.
Covering the birds' habitat was a strategy the zoo tookin 2022, after the initial bird flu outbreak.
Ewelt said that the zoo is no longer accepting wild game donations, such as geese or ducks, to feed zoo animals and will only feed the animals tested meat to avoid spreading the virus.
For humans finishing geese hunting season, Ewelt recommends to be cautious around fresh game, including wearing gloves and thorough hand washing.
