Category: Research Results

By now it is clear that there is an increased mortality in wild birds due to high-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), mainly within populations of black-headed gulls. Halfway through February the DWHC and partner organizations published an article about the signs of this trend ( Read more

At this moment – February 2023 – there are signals of high-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) causing death in black-headed gulls in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. We want to call on everyone to keep a look-out and to report findings of sick or dead black-headed gulls. Roosts and  breeding colonies,

This winter, the DWHC has received more reports on dead pigeons. These reports came from different parts of the country. Most reports concern wood pigeons, but collared doves and stock pigeons were also reported.

Foto: Femke Koedijk Earlier in december, the DWHC was notified of a European polecat found in a rabbit pen. The polecat was still breathing, and it looked as if the polecat was sleeping next to the dead rabbit (see picture). The polecat died an hour later and was collected for post-mortem examination.

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has confirmed avian influenza H5N1 in two fox cubs found in the province of Groningen.

Since October 2020 The DWHC and Sovon have collected more than 400 dead wild birds to be tested for avian influenza virus at WBVR in Lelystad, The Netherlands.  Most of the collected birds were individuals, because the NVWA deal with the reports of 3 or more dead waterbirds.

Overview of test results of submissions via DWHC and Sovon between October and December 2020

In the period from August to October 2019, twenty hedgehogs were sent to the DWHC, a subdivison of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University, for post-mortem examination. Seventeen hedgehogs were examined, three animals were too autolytic. Lung conditions were found in almost half of all examined

In October and the first weeks of November 2019, ten hares were submitted to DWHC for post-mortem examination. In three hares tularaemia (rabbit fever) has been diagnosed.

Still unexplained decline in reported dead blackbirds Joint press release from the Dutch Wildlife Health Centre, Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornothology, Erasmus MC, Centre for Monitoring of Vectors, and Muggenradar.nl