The bodies of 12 dead swans have been recovered from a Glasgow park as the city council confirms cases are being treated as avian flu.
Hogganfield Loch is a popular destination for dog walkers and east end residents, now warned to stay away from dead or ailing birds while the situation is dealt with. While the original body count was six of the animals, by the end of today (November 15) 12 dead swans had been found.
Acting on advice from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Glasgow City Council is using an approved contractor to dispose of the bodies and asks members of the public to report any further incidents.
Today's action follows several posts on social media, with locals advising others to stay away from Hogganfield due to the dead birds.
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@PaulGall67 posted to Twitter: "Stay away from Hogganfield Loch today, up to 10 swans already dead and seemingly a mass cull of the rest due bird flu. Maybe the most traumatic dog walk of my life."
A spokesman for GCC said: “We have received reports of six dead swans at Hogganfield Park and, in line with advice from DEFRA, we are assuming the birds have died from avian flu.
“Due to the high footfall in the park, we have engaged an approved contractor to ensure the birds are removed and disposed of appropriately.
“We are monitoring our parks regularly but members of the public are advised to avoid any contact with a dead bird or any bird that appears to be visibly sick. If anyone encounters a dead or sick bird they should report this to our environmental health team through our website or by calling 0141 287 1059.”
The Glasgow cases come just weeks after it was announced that the current outbreak of bird flu in Scotland is the worst the country has seen in terms of transmission and mortality rates.
The Scottish SPCA has said the virus is spreading rapidly, and killing tens of thousands of birds, and the animal welfare organisation recommends phoning DEFRA's helpline on 03459 33 55 77 if you find a sick or dead bird.
While the disease holds a very low risk to humans, avoiding any sick or dead birds is recommended.
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