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Mary Ann Benitez

Buddhists' release of birds in merit-making ceremonies is identified as a risk for the spread of deadly H5N1 flu

Imports of wild birds for release in Buddhist merit-making ceremonies are the major source of bird flu infections in Hong Kong and the government should ban the practice, experts said yesterday, as tests showed a dead bird picked up in Mong Kok carried an H5 flu strain.

The government has so far said only that it would renew its appeal to religious and community groups to stop people seeking blessings by releasing birds.

The bird found near the Mong Kok Bird Garden, a white-backed munia, is the fifth to have tested positive for H5 bird flu this month. Agriculture officials said on Thursday a white-eye and a house crow found dead in Kowloon had H5.

Tests to see if the three birds have the deadly H5N1 flu strain are continuing. Earlier, a crested goshawk and a scaly-breasted munia tested positive for H5N1.

Questions are being asked about how and where the birds caught the flu when there has not been an  outbreak in Hong Kong's chicken flocks since early 2003.

'The white-eye is one of the four most commonly released bird species in Hong Kong, while the crow would certainly eat dead or dying birds. Both are thus consistent with religious bird release as a possible source,' said Richard Corlett,  professor of ecology and biodiversity at the University of Hong Kong.

Of 15 the H5N1-infected wild birds found between January and March last year, those in urban areas were either birds sold for release, or birds that eat other dead birds, Professor Corlett said.

'Coupled with this winter's records, this suggests that bird releases are the major source of H5N1 in Hong Kong,' he said.

'The birds imported for release may have caught the virus from wild birds in China or from [mainland] poultry,' he added.

Mike Kilburn,  vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, agreed that birds being released for blessing were now the major source of H5N1.

He said Hong Kong should follow the European Union and ban imports of birds caught in the wild.

A study by a post-doctoral student last year estimated that between 500,000 and a million birds are imported for release every year. But last year the government recorded 77,000 licensed imports.

Experts  said huge numbers were being smuggled over the border.

'If there is a total ban, it makes enforcement much easier,' Mr Kilburn said.

Animal Welfare Advisory Group chairman Anthony James said: 'It seems that a large part of the smuggling was linked to fong sang [the release of birds for blessings]. It behoves the government to have it stopped and for religious leaders to speak out [against it].'

These experts also said the government should step up attempts to wipe out the house crow population. Last year, a house crow found dead in a park on the Lai On Estate tested positive for H5N1.

Government staff collected 150 house crow eggs and chicks and 90 crows last year. About 250 house crows live in the city, agriculture officials said.



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