HARFORD COUNTY, Md. — A recent increase in dead vultures near Conowingo Dam may be caused by avian flu, prompting officials to temporarily close part of a park trail and a parking area.
Constellation Energy, which owns the property, announced they're closing part of the Wildflower Trail at Fisherman's Park in Harford County to help stop the spread of the virus. Similar temporary trail closures were done last year, said Constellation.
Black vulture carcasses were collected in March by state officials near the entrance to Fisherman's Park, mostly near the first guard shack and also near the Wildflower Trail trailhead. No dead birds were found near the fishing wharf or Conowingo Dam.
Federal and state agencies are working together to manage the rise in black vulture deaths at the Conowingo Dam by breaking "the re-infection cycle that occurs with the cannibalistic nature of the birds," said Maryland Department of Agriculture spokesperson Jessica Hackett.
The carcasses collected in March were tested by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and were found to possibly have the H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI).
The birds have been sent to a national laboratory for further testing. Constellation said they're working with state and federal agencies to help protect the public and wild birds in Fisherman's Park.
Anyone who sees a sick or dead bird there is asked to report it to Site Security or the USDA [fsa.usda.gov].
