Dr. Assaf Rosenthal
In light of the arrival of the bird flu in our region and its continued spread throughout the world, the question arises, how is the bird flu epidemic related to the conservation of nature or, more correctly, to the damage to nature and the destruction of the natural environment? J
According to the environmental wing of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the connection is becoming clearer. From a report prepared for the UN it turns out that there are two main factors
Contribute to the ease with which the flu spreads. One factor is the density of the many chickens over large areas, similar to the monoculture of field crops, about which it has been known for some time that its only advantage is the short-term financial gains for the owners of the areas, so also in the case of the chickens, growing one species over large areas without buffer zones increases the possibility of disease infection and makes it difficult Prevention of epidemics.
The most important and interesting factor is - continuous and increasing drying of water bodies: lakes and seasonal puddles, swamps, river estuaries, all of these are dried up for the "benefit" of agricultural, residential, industrial areas, etc. Year after year, water bodies that were used by waterfowl, hatching waterfowl and raising chicks in and around disappear Water mikva Migratory birds depend on moist areas for food supply and rest
When the water bodies disappear, replacements are sought. The replacements are found in the human environment: oxidation reservoirs
Evaporation pools, storage pools, and even troughs for pets. These and others are substitutes, since they are in the immediate vicinity of chicken coops and sometimes apricots are used among them, they are a magnet for all the birds whose natural habitats they lived in have been destroyed. Since wild birds are not restricted in their movement, they can serve as carriers of all kinds of diseases and transfer them to poultry houses.
For a long time we have known the importance of swamps and other bodies of water as "water purifiers" as climate stabilizers, as a source of biological and botanical diversity, today, perhaps their role as preventing the transmission of epidemics is becoming clear.
It is important to emphasize repeat and emphasize. Despite claims that are heard, there is no proof that the source of the flu is in wild birds. Yes, because in many cases the wild birds are used as carriers of the plague. If so, then again it turns out that the blame falls on those who damaged the birds' natural habitats.
Dr. Assaf Rosenthal
Tour guide/leader in Africa and South America
0505640309 / 6372298 08 for details Tel.
Email assaf@eilatcity.co.il
A compilation of Dr. Assaf Rosenthal's articles
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