Sneezing Turkeys. The plague of the 21st Century
A lion, bear and turkey are chatting in the jungle
The lion says “when I roar the whole jungle listens”
The bear says “when I growl the whole jungle goes quiet”
After a short pause:
The turkey gobbles “when I sneeze the whole world panics!”
I agree, not a very humorous joke but the last line has a foreboding reference to reality.
Are we right to panic? I think we have every reason to be worried. If the authorities involved in keeping bird flu at bay can make errors in the UK that have led to the current crisis involving Turkey farmer Bernard Matthews, then what hope is there for the rest of the world.
It’s not just the sad sight of thousands of turkeys being culled, it’s the possible effect on every other living creature and of course humans. The possibilty that the virus could get into the food chain through certain products on supermarket shelves is frightening. Could we be looking at the plague of the 21st century?
Reports from historical records going back centuries talk of great plagues that wiped out whole communities, we are fairly sure that vermin caused the Great Plague, what of the other plagues? Could they have actually been caused by a bird flu pandemic?
In the event that avian flu reaches these shores and mutates into a virus that can be passed on to humans what becomes of our wildlife?
At Oaktree Home and Garden Centre we are encouraging visitors to do more for our dwindling wild bird population, the threat from these birds is, I believe, slim. I might just think twice about feeding the ducks in the park!
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