Feb. 20: The Assam state zoo has removed poultry from the diet of its carnivorous denizens.

Advocating caution after the detection of bird flu in Maharashtra, the zoo management today decided to replace chicken with beef or mutton.

The meeting also decided not to import any avian species or accept rescued birds till such time the flu alert is lifted.

“No zoo employee or visitor will be allowed to bring in chicken even for personal consumption,” a source said.

Doctors will examine all species of poultry kept by the employees who stay on the zoo campus. “The poultry will be kept confined so that they do not loiter and make contact with other birds,” the source said.

Animal-keepers will be provided with masks while dealing with animals.

The disinfectant schedule will also be strictly implemented.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that cullers and transporters be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment and clothing, preferably coveralls and an impermeable apron or surgical gowns with long-cuffed sleeves.

“These are precautionary measures and, if adhered to, the crisis can be overcome,” the source said.

The College of Veterinary Sciences in the city will hold a meeting tomorrow to chalk out a series of precautionary steps.

“We will see what can be done to reduce the risk of infection,” dean R.N. Goswami said.

Dispur has already set up a committee to chalk out strategies to prevent an outbreak of bird flu in the state. Experts have said that the possibility of bird flu hitting the state is remote, but preventive steps must be taken. “We should not be complacent,” a senior veterinarian said.

Assam is home to as many as 820 recorded bird species, which is the highest in the country.

M. Islam Borbaruah, chief technical adviser in the Society for Management of Farms, Animals and other Resources for Rural Employment, said the bird flu scare had not had much of an impact on the price of chicken, but admitted that sales had decreased.

“I cannot say what will happen in the days to come, but there has not been any impact on prices till now,” Borbaruah said.

Poultry farmers here are taking all possible bio-security measures in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the dairy and animal husbandry department under the Union agriculture ministry. The measures include use of disinfectants and mandatory cleaning of all sheds in hatcheries.

There are about 15 private hatcheries in and around Guwahati. Consumption of chicken in the city varies between 20,000 and 26,000 kg per day.

On whether vaccination was an insurance against bird flu infection, Borbaruah said: “We are totally against vaccination because that might only lead to introduction of other germs.”