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LOGAN — A Cache County homeowner hoping an answer will emerge over a possible avian flu hazard in his yard as he cautions others about the potential risk.
Bruce Jorgensen mentioned the turkey vultures which have resided within the tall timber behind his Logan home for over a decade have all the time left fairly a multitude.
“They poop a lot,” he mentioned Monday, shrugging. “That’s been a pain, but this year it’s a biohazard.”
Jorgensen mentioned he was already conscious of an avian flu outbreak when he discovered two of the birds dead on his property final week. He mentioned testing subsequently decided the deceased turkey vultures had the illness.
According to Jorgensen, wildlife officers and well being officers cautioned him to not contact any of the birds and offered him with directions on the right way to mitigate the risk on the property.
Because turkey vultures are thought-about protected wildlife, nevertheless, below the jurisdiction of U.S. Fish and Wildlife, a Utah Division of Wildlife Resources spokesperson confirmed that officers couldn’t take away the birds and will solely recommend the right way to doubtlessly “haze” them from the timber and sometimes assist with that course of.
“Yeah, put up balloons,” Jorgensen nodded.
He mentioned he purchased a pair, together with one which mentioned, “I’m Sorry,” and launched them into the timber to no avail.
“It’s just not viable to put a balloon up that high in a forest and have it magically stay up there to scare the birds,” Jorgensen mentioned.
He estimated as many as three dozen turkey vultures referred to as the timber residence. Even although he has routinely and punctiliously cleaned his yard, a lot of the world below the timber on Monday night was nonetheless closely affected by chook droppings.
Given that avian flu is commonly transmitted by means of fecal droppings, Jorgensen expressed considerations about the continued well being risk.
“Everywhere you look, there’s poop stains and the smell of Clorox,” he mentioned.
The steering from the Utah DWR acknowledged that whereas the present pressure of avian flu introduced a “low risk” to folks, it nonetheless was transmissible to people, as evidenced by a latest case in Colorado.
The division urged folks to not contact dead birds in the event that they see them. If they see a bunch of dead birds — 5 or extra — together with waterfowl, shorebirds, wild turkeys, quail, raptors and scavengers discovered close to waterfowl habitats, these folks had been to contact a neighborhood DWR workplace or name 801-538-4700.
Additional guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consists of additional info on what to do to remain protected.
“My preferred option would be to euthanize them,” Jorgensen mentioned. “I don’t know that you can come to downtown Logan and start shooting them.”
Jorgensen mentioned with the protected standing of the birds, he wasn’t positive what the answer was, however hoped one emerged.
“Everywhere they sit, they contaminate,” Jorgensen mentioned.
