More than 700 wild black vultures were recently found deceased at Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary in Locust Grove, according to Sen. Emanuel Jones.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture believes that the birds are victims of H5N1 avian influenza. GDA officials have been at the sanctuary throughout the weekend. Georgia Department of Agriculture Policy Director Bo Warren said the agency was working with other state, federal and local agencies to “assess the situation.”

Many ostriches, emu, parrots, etc. are expected to be humanely euthanized in the near future as a result of the outbreak, according to the senator’s press release.

 

On 8/20/22 the State and Federal teams informed Noah’s Ark that the initial testing indicated Avian Influenza (HPAI) which is found in 45 states and carried by wild birds, but can also transmitted to poultry and waterfowl (source APHIS.usda.gov). Noah’s Ark is and will remain in close collaboration with authorities as they lead the charge to manage this. As a precaution the affected birds on property have been depopulated. Officials are testing and monitoring other birds within the surveillance area and no other birds have tested positive or experienced any clinical signs.

https://www.cbs46.com/2022/08/22/bird-flu-reportedly-kills-700-vultures-noahs-ark-henry-county/

Edited August 22, 20224 yr by niman

I salute Commissioner Black and our Department of Agriculture and Dept of Natural Resources for aggressively addressing the Virus outbreak(H5N1)found in the birds at Noah’s Ark. However, I have learned that the Board of Directors failed to promptly notify the State as required by our protocol! We intend to fully address the violations of safety protocol at this facility.

https://www.facebook.com/senatoremanueljones

map update

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=33.306324364975055%2C-84.12784345000001&z=13

As of February 2022, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been detected in wild birds and poultry across the United States. USDA has published all detections of HPAI in poultry and wild birds on the APHIS website. Below are detections in the state of Georgia in 2022.

County	NVSL Confirmation Date	Type of Flock
Toombs	June 1, 2022	Non-commercial, non-poultry
Henry	August 22, 2022	Non-commercial, non-poultry

 

What Flock Owners Should Do

https://agr.georgia.gov/avian-influenza.aspx

 

map update

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=33.299779294356796%2C-84.16344648058923&z=13

Georgia

Henry

8/26/2022

EA H5N1

Black vulture

Wild bird mortality GDNR/SCWDS (12)

 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-wild-birds

Georgia

Henry

9/9/2022

EA H5N1

Black vulture

Wild bird mortality GDNR/SCWDS (12)