Thousands of cranes killed by avian flu in northern Israel

JERUSALEM — A bird flu outbreak in northern Israel has killed at least 5,200 migratory cranes and forced farmers to slaughter hundreds of thousands of chickens as authorities try to contain what they say is the deadliest wildlife disaster in the nation's history.

Uri Naveh, a senior scientist at the Israel Parks and Nature Authority, said the situation is not yet under control.
“Many of the birds are dead in the middle of the water body so it’s difficult for them to be taken out.” he said Monday.

“The extent of the damage is still unclear," she tweeted.

About 500,000 cranes pass through Israel each year on the way to Africa and a small number stay behind, Michaeli said. This year, an estimated 30,000 cranes stayed in Israel for the winter.