Puzzle about wild bird death in pocking: 500 deaths at Autobahn construction site

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The latest reports on the mass dying of wild birds near the A94 motorway in Lower Bavaria raise questions that not only affect the wildlife, but also offer deeper insights into the fragile balance of our ecosystems. Around 500 dead birds were discovered on a compensation area near Pocking, which has triggered an alarm for both environmentalists and the responsible authorities.

cause remains unclear

The puzzling dying was noticed by employees of the landscape maintenance association in the middle of last week. This organization takes care of a 42 hectare area, which has recently been set up as compensation areas for the construction work on the A94. Among the died birds are not only duck species, but also laughing gulls and many smaller bird species. Particularly worrying for conservationists is the dying of the lapwing, which was voted “Bird of 2024”.

health risks for people?

Those responsible emphasize that there has been no evidence of a viral infection that could be responsible for dying. Nevertheless, the responsible authorities sent rehearsals of the dead animals to a laboratory for further examination. Christoph Kölbl, spokesman for the Passau district office, describes the current status as "poking in the dark". There is no evidence of a threat to the human population by the incidents, but it is recommended to avoid contact with dead birds in order to rule out possible health risks.

precautionary measures and further examinations

In order to advance the cause search, additional water samples from waters from the compensation area were taken last week. Experts suspect that bacteria or algae could lead to the cause of bird death. The district office has made it clear that it is actively working with the environmental protection authorities to determine the source of the problem.

The importance of the compensation area

The compensation area, which was only completed in the spring of the previous year, should actually be a paradise breeding area for many bird species, especially for the lapwing. This surface is protected by a high fence that is also electrified to keep predators away. Although the breeding season for the lapwings has now been completed, the question remains what the causes of the sudden increase in carcasses are in this newly created habitat.

The future results of the laboratory examinations will be crucial to gain clarity about the situation. In the meantime, both local nature conservation organizations and the authorities are asked to remain vigilant and take all the necessary measures to protect the other bird populations.

- Nag