Swans hit by mystery disease

CHILDREN looked on helplessly as swans and ducks they’d lovingly fed for years were taken away after being struck down by a mystery disease.

The sudden deaths of a number of swans, ducks and fish at a popular wildlife sanctuary in Cork are being investigated by experts at the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Kildare.

The birds, according to veterinary experts, had all been in good health, but “suddenly succumbed” to a disease which appeared to rapidly attack their central nervous system.

The carcasses of around 20 swans and ducks were pulled from The Lough, near Togher, last week and yesterday a further 14 were taken from the amenity, some of which were dying at the time.

Employees from Cork City Council and the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA) removed the carcasses from the nine-acre lake and its central island and sent them to various laboratories for testing.

At first it was believed that the fowl had contracted a virus which was transmitted to the resident population by a wild duck.

However, tests carried out at Regional Veterinary Laboratory at Model Farm Road showed no lesions on the birds, which would normally be associated with a viral infection.

Diarmuid Dooge, chief veterinary officer with Cork City Council, said he was able to confirm that none of the deaths were caused by the dreaded bird flu.

Further samples have been sent to the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Co Kildare for analysis.

Five large carp were also found floating dead on the lake, which is a magnet for coarse fishermen.

“They were all older carp, each in excess of five kilos in weight,” the chief veterinary officer said.

There are believed to be about 2,000 carp in The Lough and the Irish record, of 29lb 13oz, was caught there in 1998 by Sidney Kennedy.

Mr Dooge said it was possible that both the fish and birds died from a form of botulism, caused when bacteria on the lake bed released toxins which attacked their central nervous system.

There is no laboratory in Ireland equipped to test for botulism and samples will have to be sent to Scotland for analysis.

It may take some days before the test results are known.