Hundreds of thousands of geese, ducks and other poultry have already been culled in Germany, as the so-called bird flu spreading in some parts of the country is threatening the livelihoods of farmers.
00:04Wild cranes taking a break during their migration to warmer climes.
00:08In Brandenburg, outside Berlin, the H5N1 virus, better known as bird flu,
00:14has broken out in multiple poultry farms.
00:17Malte Voigt's entire flock of geese has been wiped out.
00:24Unfortunately, one morning we came out and found a carcass of a dead crane.
00:27And from that moment on, fate took its course.
00:31We had five flocks here, each with about 1,000 geese.
00:34And the outbreak was most severe in the flock, where the crane carcass was found.
00:42Over 150,000 animals have been killed as a precautionary measure in Brandenburg.
00:48Across Germany, the figure is over half a million.
00:51The affected farms receive compensation of 50 to 110 euros per bird.
00:56This is financed by a public fund.
01:00Malte Voigt's has diversified his business, so he's not completely dependent on poultry farming.
01:05And while it's devastating the poultry, so far the current outbreak of bird flu has had no major consequences for consumers.
01:13Ultimately, I think it's too early to say and impossible to make a long-term forecast.
01:22It all depends on how the pandemic develops.
01:25I think we're well prepared for the Christmas season, so we don't expect there to be any shortages.
01:30Although, it's important to note that a large proportion of the ducks and geese traditionally served as Christmas roasts are imported from abroad.
01:38To protect farm poultry from wild birds, several federal states have now ordered that they be kept indoors.
01:50Investigators are trying to find out where the outbreak started.
01:54Conservationist Norbert Schneeweiss has also called for an investigation.
01:57This can't just be about the migration of wild cranes.
02:03This is the first time it's broken out among cranes.
02:07We have other migratory birds that share roosting and feeding areas with the birds.
02:11We've not found a single dead goose here.
02:15Even though thousands sleep in the same place as the wild cranes.
02:17Other European countries, such as Spain and France, are also taking measures to contain the virus.
02:27Bird flu is likely to continue spreading in Europe, as the southward migration of birds is only just beginning.
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