VZCZCXRO6713
OO RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHROV
DE RUEHTV #0349 0440947
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 130947Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5390
INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 9065
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 4553
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 3628

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000349 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES/ENV AND NEA/IAI AND NEA/RA 
INTERIOR PASS FISH AND WILDLIFE 
USDA FOR APHIS AND FAS 
BRUSSELS FOR APHIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO EAGR ETRD USTR IS KWBG
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA SURVEILLANCE ENDS FOLLOWING CONFIRMED CASES 
AT PETTING ZOO 
 
REF: STATE 250 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1. (U) Following the January 3, 2008 confirmation of H5N1 in birds 
at a Petting Zoo in Benyamina, GOI Ministry of Agriculture 
instituted surveillance zones at three and ten kilometers, as noted 
reftel.  The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that this 
surveillance ended on February 2, 2008.  Other than the initial 
cases at the zoo, there were no further cases in birds reported. 
 
¶2. (U) Within the three-kilometer radius, two small flocks (4800) of 
"table egg layer" chickens were culled, even though they tested 
negative for H5N1.  This farmer has been compensated for his loss of 
'egg layers'. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Also within the three-kilometer radius, there was one farm 
that housed grand-parent stock of chickens (previous reporting 
erroneously called these turkey stock).  This is the first 
generation, and the most sensitive, expensive and difficult to 
replace in the line of production.  Culling this stock could have 
caused a shortage of chicken meat in 12-18 months.  For these 
reasons, special dispensation was granted to that farm within the 
3-kilometer radius.  Rather than cull the birds immediately, they 
were tested every 72 hours for H5N1, until it was determined that 
they were no longer a threat for Avian Influenza. 
 
¶4. (U) Lastly, there were approximately 1000 'back yard' birds that 
were culled.  The owners of these birds have not yet received 
financial compensation.  In total, 5800 birds were culled in 
Israel. 
 
JONES