400 birds have died in just two weeks at the Groot Molsbroek nature reserve in Lokeren (East Flanders), most of them black-headed gulls but also three black-necked grebes – a rare species.
The Durme nature conservation organisation estimates that 15% of its black-headed gull population has died. It fears that their number will increase as this is just the start of the breeding season. "The impact on the breeding population of black-headed gulls in Molsbroek is expected to be very large," reports Durme.
The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) confirmed that the cause of death is H5N1, a deadly strain of bird flu. It is also dangerous to humans and other animals so is important not to touch dead or sick birds.
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In previous years, outbreaks of bird flu have affected species around North Western Europe seasonally. In February 2022 the number spiked however and now coincides with breeding season, resulting in mass deaths.
In the past two weeks, Durme employees have found and removed dead birds. They did so wearing protective gear such as gloves, masks and protective suits. The team has so far collected more than 400 dead and 23 sick birds.
