LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville Zoo will temporarily close its public walk-through aviaries and move some birds to protected areas due to the avian flu.
There have been confirmed cases of avian flu in wild birds west of Jefferson County recently.
The areas closed to guests include the Forest Bird Trail, the African penguin exhibits in the Islands Pavilion, Steller's Sea Eagle Aviary in Glacier Run and Lorikeet Landing in Australia.
Chilean flamingos, white storks and bald eagles will be relocated to prevent co-mingling with wild native waterfowl.
Zoo officials said this move is out of an abundance of caution and none of the zoo's birds are currently showing signs of the disease.
Guests are not at risk and there have been no human infections found in the U.S.
"We've been following these developments closely and have drafted a plan to minimize the risk to the Zoo's animal collection," Dr. Zoli Gyimesi, Louisville Zoo Senior Veterinarian, said in a news release. "Closing walkthrough aviaries is prudent at this time given the recent avian influenza cases being detected in wild ducks within 50 miles of the Zoo."
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