A falcon that attacked a garda after being handed in had to be put down over concerns it had highly infectious avian flu.
The Irish Mirror has learned that the falcon was handed into Store Street Garda Station in recent days after it was found in the Abbey Street area.
It was placed in a dog kennel in the basement of the station to keep it safe but the bird attacked a garda and injured him as he fed it.
A vet was drafted in and the expert told officers that it had symptoms of avian flu and had to be put down.
The Department of Agriculture told the Irish Mirror: “The peregrine falcon was confirmed positive for avian influenza H5N1.
“Although the HPAI H5N1 subtype can cause serious disease in poultry and other birds, human infection is extremely rare. The risk to humans is considered to be very low.”
It is understood officials have been in contact with Store Street Garda Station to make sure the disease has not transferred to anyone working there.
On Thursday, UK officials confirmed a man who kept ducks had the disease in the southwest of England. The Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has warned waves of the disease in Asia and Europe have a greater risk of spreading to humans because of a high number of variants.
In Ireland, there were six outbreaks of the latest strain between November 20 and December 18 among poultry in commercial premises.
OIE Director General Monique Eloit said: “This time the situation is more difficult and more risky because we see more variants emerge, which make them harder to follow. Eventually the risk is that it mutates or that it mixes with a human flu virus that can be transmitted between humans then suddenly it takes on a new dimension.”
It is believed the falcon ended up on Abbey Street after becoming too ill to fly.
Although they prefer clifftop nesting sites they have also been known to raise their young on tall city centre buildings.
There have been previous reports of falcons nesting on both Liberty Hall and the former Central Bank on Dame St.
The number of pigeons living in urban areas provides them with a steady source of food and they typically spot their prey from high in the sky then dive at speeds of up to 250mph before striking.
