Germany is facing a renewed wave of avian influenza, with multiple poultry farms affected across several federal states. Thousands of birds have already been culled as authorities race to contain the virus. Following a large outbreak in Baden-Württemberg, the federal and state agriculture ministers held emergency talks on Thursday evening to coordinate their response.
According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Minister Alois Rainer (CSU) convened the meeting to establish a unified national strategy. “Federal and state authorities are pulling together and working closely and decisively to keep the situation under control,” the ministry said in a statement. Details of the decisions taken in the meeting have not yet been released.
Risk level raised to “high” by national veterinary institute
The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Germany’s federal institute for animal diseases, has raised the national avian flu risk level to “high”, citing an unprecedented spread among wild cranes.
“This autumn we are observing a concentration of dead cranes never seen before in Germany,” an FLI spokesperson said.
Initial estimates suggest that around 2,000 cranes have died during their migration southwards through German resting areas — and experts expect the number to rise as the peak migration period is still ahead.
15,000 birds culled near Ulm
The most recent large-scale outbreak occurred north of Ulm, where approximately 15,000 birds were or are being culled at a quarantined poultry farm, according to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Agriculture.
While it remains unclear whether the outbreak is connected to the cases among wild cranes, experts consider such a link unlikely. Stefan Bosch, bird-protection specialist with the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), told reporters that migratory cranes primarily follow two major routes to southern Europe and North Africa, and Baden-Württemberg lies off the main path.
Still, Bosch acknowledged that isolated cases among cranes in southwestern Germany cannot be ruled out.
Limited risk to humans, but growing threat to poultry farms
Avian influenza — also known as bird flu or avian pest — is a highly contagious viral disease that can be fatal to both wild and domestic birds. Experts from the Robert Koch Institute emphasise that the risk to humans remains low, as transmission to people is extremely rare.
However, the high viral load among wild birds significantly increases the danger of infection spreading to poultry holdings nationwide. In October alone, the FLI recorded more than 15 outbreaks in commercial flocks — a figure expected to rise further in the coming weeks.
Federal and state coordination crucial
With 16 German states facing varying levels of infection, the agriculture ministers agreed that swift, coordinated action is essential. This includes tighter biosecurity measures, movement restrictions for poultry transport, and rapid testing of both domestic and wild bird populations.
Experts are urging farm owners to immediately secure their facilities, ensure feed and water sources are protected from wild birds, and report any sudden deaths to veterinary authorities.
The situation is being monitored closely by both national and EU animal-health agencies, as Germany braces for what could become one of the most serious avian flu seasons in recent years.
