SAN DIEGO — A wild bird found dead on the grounds of San Diego Zoo Safari Park has tested positive for a bird flu that has swept across the country, sickening millions of wild birds and commercial poultry since the beginning of the year.
An employee found the white pelican in the park's East Pond on Nov. 1 and it was submitted for testing, a San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance spokesperson said. Park officials learned Thursday that it had tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
None of the birds in the park's collection are believed to have been exposed to the highly contagious virus. The pond is about 3/4 of a mile from the nearest aviary at the sprawling 1,800-acre park, which is located in the San Pasqual Valley area of San Diego, near Escondido. Other dead birds have been found on the park grounds and have been submitted for testing, the spokesperson said.
