Malaria kills six London Zoo penguins
'Wet and muggy' summer created perfect mosquito breeding ground
Disease ... London Zoo said the penguins' deaths were a 'very sad occasion'
SIX penguins have died after contracting deadly malaria at London Zoo.
The birds got the avian strain of the disease from mosquitoes this summer and died in August, despite extra precautions to prevent the killer infection.
A London Zoo spokeswoman said avian malaria is “endemic” in the UK’s wild bird population and described their penguins’ deaths as a “very sad occasion”.
Zookeepers had increased the anti-malaria medication for the Humboldt penguins – a South American species – after fears that the wet weather would create the perfect mosquito breeding ground.
Avian malaria cannot be passed on to humans, nor can it be passed from bird to bird, and the zoo says the remaining penguins are “healthy and well”.
Precaution ... the penguins died even after zookeepers boosted their anti-malaria medication
Phil Hannaford /The Sun
The spokeswoman said: “They have it all the time as a daily dose, given it with their breakfast. We put a tablet in their fish and every single penguin gets one in the morning.
“The keepers also spray lavender oil in the penguins’ nest boxes which is a natural deterrent.
“We plant lavender around the enclosure and the penguins use that to build their nests. We do a lot to stop this from happening so obviously it’s a very sad occasion.”
The washout summer – the wettest in England and Wales for 100 years – created the “perfect conditions for mosquito numbers”, therefore increasing the risk of penguins contracting the disease.
Describing the remaining birds, the spokeswoman added: “All the penguins appear healthy and well. Obviously our keepers are keeping a close eye on them, working with the vets, and just making sure we watch them carefully.”
Although it was Humboldt penguins which died, the spokeswoman said no particular species is more at risk than another.
