Ostrich cull in BC

[Catherine]

Because of fears of avian flu and entire farm of Ostriches are facing a cull. The owners of the farm have been fighting for their birds in the courts. For a while they were winning, but it looks like the cull  will go ahead.

Some of the birds did die from avian flu, but there have been no new cases for months.  They seem to have developed a flock immunity. The birds are part of a research study with a scientist in Japan. They are not being raised for food. They are on an isolated farm.  They are not being kept in factory farm conditions.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c...-1.7509915

Instead of killing the birds, they should be studying them. The birds have found a way to survive the avian flu.
Maybe they hold a key to producing a vaccine. There is much to be gained by studying the ostriches. Killing them cuts off that possibility.
We can't go back and fix things once the birds are gone.
Bird flu is spreading and it is a danger, but it is spreading in factory farmed chickens. That is what we need to go after, not a flock of healthy Ostriches.
The Ostriches are not being used as food so there is no danger that way. In some places infected chickens have ended up as raw pet food and pets have gotten
bird flu. The decision to kill the birds is a gut level reaction with out much thought.
I still hope they save the birds, but it isn't looking good.