Dead ducks trigger health probe

Published on Monday 10 August 2009 22:07

CONCERNS over a number of dead ducks found in an Edinburgh river have sparked investigations by environmental health and animal welfare experts.

Joe Power, 27, a swordsmith, said he feared a public health hazard after seeing five or six birds floating past his home on the Water of Leith, near the Malmaison hotel.

Under guidelines issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), members of the public in Scotland are urged to report findings of five or more dead birds belonging to the same species.

Leith has been classified as an avian influenza surveillance area since fears over bird flu surfaced in 2003.

Mr Power contacted The Scotsman after calling several agencies including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) and Edinburgh City Council, as well as Defra.

He said: "My girlfriend and I live right next to the water and have noticed a number of dead animals over the past three days.

"We phoned because it is either animal cruelty, or there are public health concerns, possibly avian flu, that is killing these birds."

Mr Powers said yesterday most of the corpses had been washed away down the river but one remained, lodged in a pile of litter near a bridge.

Lee Winsor, a spokeswoman for Sepa, said: "We sent out an officer but she only saw evidence of one dead duck.

"We tested the water quality but it does not seem to be a pollution issue, and there does not seem to be any other evidence of a biological hazard. We reported the incident to Defra."

Claire Gordon, a spokeswoman for SSPCA, said: "We received a call yesterday reporting dead ducks in the Water of Leith.

"As the birds were reported to be deceased, and therefore not distressed or likely to come to any harm, we advised him to contact Defra for advice."

A city council spokeswoman said environmental health officers went to the area to investigate, but they could not see any dead ducks and the matter was referred to the Scottish Government's directorate for the environment.

However, both Defra and the Scottish Government said yesterday they had not been informed of the duck deaths.

A Defra spokesman pointed out that deaths may be the result of poisoning, adverse weather conditions, starvation or one of a number of infectious diseases.

A Scottish Government spokesman said there were no concerns about bird flu in Leith and said the rule about reporting five birds only applied during the autumn months when the risk of avian influenza was higher.

He said the public should remain vigilant for incidents where ten birds or more are found dead in the same location. Incidents should be reported to the Defra helpline on 08459 33 55 77.