Hunting Permits Suspended Over Avian Influenza

All the provincial offices of the Department of Environment have stopped issuing bird hunting licenses to prevent a potential outbreak of avian influenza (or bird flu), a senior environment official has said.

Migratory birds coming from Russia and India are the main carriers of bird flu virus. Authorities believe a strict preventive measure on hunting is the most effective method of combating the spread of the disease. Speaking to ISNA, Ali Teymouri, director of DOE's Hunting and Fishing Office, said all the provincial offices of DOE will temporarily stop issuing hunting permits.

"Hunting is also suspended for those who had already received permits, until further notice," he said, adding that legal action will be taken against those who ignore the directive.

Appealing to hunters, Teymouri said the department's directive helps save people from consuming diseased bird meat and stave off a possible outbreak.

"Although the avian influenza vaccine is widely available in pharmacies, it is better to take precautionary measures," he said.

Avian influenza is most often spread by contact between infected and healthy birds, though it can also be spread indirectly through contaminated equipment. The virus is found in secretions from the nostrils, mouth and eyes of infected birds as well as their droppings. Highly pathogenic avian influenza infection is spread to people often through direct contact with infected poultry, such as during slaughter or plucking.