Men in protective clothing go to a stable in the district of Märkisch-Oderland. There are cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the district.
© dpa
Following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in a herd of buffalo in Brandenburg, Berlin Zoo and Tierpark are temporarily closed.
This was announced by the operators. The closure is an important preventative measure to protect the animals and prevent further spread - and has been agreed with the authorities, the zoo's statement said. And: “The protection of the animals at Zoo and Tierpark Berlin has top priority.”
For the first time in more than 35 years, there has been an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Germany. The viral disease, which is highly contagious for animals, was discovered in a herd of buffalo in Hönow in the Brandenburg district of Märkisch-Oderland. The town is not far from Berlin.
Several small livestock farms in the district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf are located within two restricted zones that the authorities have set up around the affected farm in Hönow. This is to prevent the spread of the infectious animal disease. The Senate Department for Consumer Protection went on to say that the small Berlin farms had been closed by the veterinary authorities and were being monitored. Their exact number has not yet been determined, as this depends on the exact layout of the restricted areas, said a spokeswoman. A maximum of 14 Berlin livestock farms with up to 120 different cloven-hoofed animals such as goats, sheep or pigs are involved.