Bird flu has hit the zoo.
Over a dozen ducks and wild birds at the Queens and Bronx zoos have died, likely all due to the avian flu sweeping the country.
Three ducks at the Queens Zoo died after contracting the virus, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society, which operates both zoos.
Officials are awaiting test results on nine wild birds and three ducks that all died at the Bronx Zoo and may have been exposed to the disease.
Vulnerable bird species were moved to protected areas of the parks in recent weeks, the society said in a statement to The Post.
“We implemented steps at our four zoos and aquarium to limit exposure of our animals to wild birds, mainly species of waterfowl, known to be significant carriers of avian influenza,” it added.
The WCS also operates the Central Park and Prospect Park zoos, as well we the New York Aquarium in Coney Island.
A spokeswoman for the society refused to provide any specifics on which species of birds and ducks died.
The ducks that died at the Bronx Zoo were part of its collection, while the birds were wild.
Its veterinarians and curators are monitoring the situation and collaborating with city, state, and federal agencies, the society said.
The parks all remain open, as there is little risk to humans.
The Bronx Zoo is home to several bird exhibits, including aquatic and sea birds and birds of prey like bald eagles, vultures and the endangered Andean condor.
Elsewhere in the city, a red tailed hawk in the Bronx and a great horned owl in Queens also died from the infection, Gothamist reported.
The news comes as all live poultry markets in NYC, Long Island and Westchester County were ordered to temporarily shutter after seven cases of bird flu were found during routine inspections in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.
The order from Gov. Kathy Hochul Friday requires the markets to sell or dispose of all inventory, clean and disinfect and remain closed for a period of five days afterward to combat the “highly pathogenic” virus.
The flu has been detected in 11,627 wild birds across more than 1,200 US counties since 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The outbreak has driven up the cost of eggs nationwide, and made them harder to find.
More than 150 million poultry and nearly 960 dairy herds were also affected as of Thursday, CDC data show.
