Dead chickens found dumped in Polish forest
Authorities have initiated a formal investigation following the discovery of over 700 dead chickens infected with avian influenza, found discarded in a forested area of northern Poland. The disturbing find was reported by forestry workers who initially encountered nearly 500 carcasses near the village of Napierki, located within the Warmia-Masuria Province.
Subsequent searches uncovered an additional 230 deceased birds, tightly packed into bags and abandoned nearby. Preliminary laboratory analyses detected the presence of avian flu, a diagnosis later validated by the State Research Institute based in Puławy, in eastern Poland.
This incident follows two comparable occurrences in the adjacent Mława region, where authorities recovered 350 dead hens near the village of Krzywonoś, along with 30 more birds, similarly packed in bags, near Wyszyny Kościelne.
In both situations, tests confirmed the presence of the H5N1 strain, which continues to pose a significant risk to the poultry sector. In response to the escalating threat, stringent biosecurity protocols were enacted in May, including the immediate culling of infected flocks, to contain the spread of the disease.
