Avian Influenza Arrives in New Jersey
As bird flu cases widen across the United States, authorities in New Jersey are on alert.
In February parks in Monmouth County were closed due to the discovery of dozens of dead geese. Bird flu was the suspected cause.
Flocks of snow geese in New Jersey have also been affected, and by mid-February eight dead bald eagles had been discovered. It is suspected they died from ingesting birds infected with bird flu.
Bird flu is highly contagious and has leapt from birds to other animal populations, including dairy cows. California has been particularly affected. Foxes, bears, seals, and stray or domestic animals such as cats and dogs also may contract this virus.
New Jersey is an important stopover for migratory birds, so it is at high risk for spread of the virus. Chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese are at high risk because they congregate in large numbers.
The virus has also crossed to humans, having been confirmed as the cause of at least one human death (Louisiana).
Individuals who interact with potentially infected populations of animals are advised to wear protective clothing or avoid contact.
Songbirds carry a low risk of transmission, so it is considered safe to fill birdfeeders during the winter. Feeders should be cleaned regularly, however.
Click here for helpful Centers for Disease Control information on bird flu: https://shorturl.at/3UMf
By Jamie Zaccaria • Wildlife and Endangered Species Committee Chair
Are you passionate about protecting wildlife and its habitat here in New Jersey? The New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club is recruiting volunteers to become members of our Wildlife and Endangered Species Committee! Meetings are currently held virtually, and anyone from anywhere in New Jersey is welcome. Please email me at jamiez@newjersey.sierraclub.org for more information.
The Wildlife and Endangered Species Committee is dedicated to preventing or mitigating harm to species and their habitat caused by development and other human activity. We seek to increase protection for animals by improving the definition of harm in New Jersey law, educating New Jersey residents about threats to wildlife and its habitat, and collaborating with other concerned organizations that share these goals.
While we look forward to expanding the issues we work on based on our volunteers’ interests, some of what we’re focusing on currently includes:
NJ Bear Hunt
The annual bear hunt must be stopped and a non-lethal bear management plan must be established in its place.
We urge Gov. Phil Murphy and his administration to uphold their promise to end the indiscriminate, annual statewide bear hunt and instead replace it with a science-based management plan that includes passage of the Bear Smart Bill and similar legislation to reduce bear-human interactions.
We seek to persuade the NJ Legislature and the Murphy administration to adequately fund bear-proof garbage containers in areas of New Jersey with a high population of bears.
Wildlife Corridor Legislation
We support adoption of a wildlife corridor action plan in New Jersey as outlined in Bill S3618. Wildlife corridors are essential to keeping wildlife off the roads and out of harm’s way. They provide critical connectivity to and between habitats, which in New Jersey is increasingly lacking, given our dense population and urban infrastructure.
Offshore Wind Development
New Jersey needs to pursue responsible offshore wind development with marine mammal protection.
We emphasize the need to use the best available science and data regarding marine mammal strandings, and we acknowledge that climate change poses an enormous threat to marine ecosystems. We support responsible offshore wind development that is in full compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
For example, this requires that protected species observers be aboard all vessels conducting survey work for turbine installation.
We urge the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the US Coast Guard to appropriately and robustly enforce the 2008 vessel speed rule to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale population.
OCEANA has issued a report on how vessel strikes are harming these whales, and Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ-6) asked NOAA and the US Coast Guard to better enforce the vessel speed rule.
Defining “Wildlife Harm”
We are working to amend the state definition of “harm” as referred to by NJ Fish and Wildlife (Department of Environmental Protection) to increase protections for wildlife and their habitats.
If you’re interested in joining the Wildlife and Endangered Species Committee, we want to hear from you. Email us today!
Resources
Bear Smart Bill: https://shorturl.at/vBQAd
Wildlife Corridor Bill: https://shorturl.at/dBP6O
Right Whale Report: https://shorturl.at/BJmkC
Palone Letter: https://shorturl.at/IO1Dt
Wildlife and Endangered Species Committee: jamiez@newjersey