Nepal's Central Zoo Reopens After Bird Flu All-Clear

Nepal's Central Zoo will open its gates again on Friday, nearly a month after shutting down in the face of a bird flu crisis that killed dozens of animals and raised questions about how the facility had handled the emergency. The decision came after environmental samples collected from the zoo grounds tested negative for avian influenza, clearing the way for visitors to return to a place that normally draws around two thousand people on ordinary weekdays and up to five thousand when holidays arrive.

The zoo had been closed since June 19, when the H5N1 strain of bird flu was confirmed in samples from dead vultures, owls, swans, and other rare birds housed there, along with a jungle cat and civets. The outbreak was deadly and swift. Officials announced the reopening decision on Thursday following a high-level meeting that included senior veterinary officials and representatives from the Department of Livestock Services and the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division. Ganesh Koirala, the zoo's spokesperson, confirmed that lab work on environmental samples had come back clear, and that an expert team had approved the facility for public use once more.

The closure had not been without cost. The zoo lost approximately 30 million Nepali rupees in revenue during the month it remained shut. The facility houses roughly 1,300 animals representing more than 100 species, including endangered snow leopards and chimpanzees, and it also functions as a rescue center for wild animals. Officials said all necessary safety measures had been put in place before reopening, and that multiple rounds of testing had been conducted on samples from the premises, including dead crows, which are believed to have been the primary vector for spreading the virus through the zoo.

The outbreak at the Central Zoo was part of a much larger crisis unfolding across Nepal. Since mid-March, more than 835,000 chickens and ducks have been culled across affected regions after bird flu was detected on poultry farms. The virus has now been confirmed in 11 districts nationwide. Authorities have also destroyed around 1.3 million eggs and approximately 300,000 kilograms of poultry feed from infected farms. Three strains are currently circulating: H5N1, H9N2, and H5Nx, all highly contagious viruses that primarily affect domestic birds.

The good news, according to Dr. Mukul Upadhyaya, a senior veterinary officer overseeing avian influenza surveillance, is that the spread appears to be slowing. As of Thursday, no new outbreaks had been reported in the previous 24 hours across the Kathmandu Valley districts and Kavrepalanchok district, where 119 poultry farms had experienced outbreaks in recent weeks. The slowdown suggests that containment efforts may be taking hold, though officials remain vigilant.

The zoo's outbreak also prompted an investigation into allegations that the facility had attempted to conceal the incident. A committee formed to examine what happened is preparing its report. This scrutiny reflects broader concerns about transparency and accountability in how Nepal's institutions respond to disease emergencies.

Nepal's struggle with bird flu is not new. The country first confirmed an outbreak in January 2009, and since then, the virus has returned almost every year, destroying millions of birds and massive quantities of poultry products. The toll on farmers has been severe. Many have abandoned poultry farming altogether after failing to receive adequate compensation for their losses. In 2019, Nepal recorded its first human death from bird flu, a sobering reminder that the virus poses risks beyond the animal world. As the zoo reopens and the outbreak slows, the broader question of how Nepal manages recurring disease threats remains urgent.