CANDABA – With the influx of migratory birds in town’s Swamp Wildlife Reserve, the local chief executive here
discarded the possibility of the entry of birds carrying Bird Flu.
Mayor Jerry Pelayo, in a previous
interview told Sun Star Pampanga, migratory birds coming from the neighboring
countries are totally free from Bird Flue.
“Tourists and other bird
enthusiasts need not worry about this,” he said.
It can be recalled that as early September last year, the Anti Bird Flu Task Force has been re-activated
to closely monitor the entry of migratory birds
particularly those coming from Asian countries with reports of bird flu
infection.
The initiative aims to protect both
tourists and locals from any possible harm due to bird flu. It conducts regular
surveillance and screenings on ducks this bird migration season which started
from September until March.
The Anti Bird Flu Task Force was chaired
by Mayor Jerry Pelayo with representatives from municipal agriculture office,
health office and local police.
Latest on bird count.
In January 3, the municipal government
with the help of “Kaakbay” group conducted a local bird census. They have recorded more than 12,5000 migratory
birds in the four sites including the wildlife reserve in Dona Simang in Barangay
Visal Sto. Cristo here.
The Department
of Environment and Natural Resources subsequently conducted a separate bird
counting and recorded at least 11,000 migratory birds.
In January 15,
the Wild Bird Club accounted
only 10,000 migratory birds in the recently concluded Asian Waterbird
Census in this town’s Swamp Wildlife Reserve