Archive: 2025

In late September, a Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) was found in National Park De Hoge Veluwe. The animal laid on the ground and stayed there even when a person approached closer. Eventually the deer was shot and killed. The person who reported the animal to us, a game warden for the area, explains how they discovered

The Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) have been the DWHC focal bird species of 2025. The aim was to be able to examine more of these species to determine their cause of death and underlying disease. Common Kestrels and Peregrine Falcons are birds of prey that sit high in

Since August 2025, we have been getting many reports of sick and dead pigeons from Groningen. Commonly reported symptoms include lethargy, lying on the side or back, sometimes with their head tilted far back or spinning around. It is also reported that the animals are very passive and respond little even when

The outbreak of bird flu in wild birds is still ongoing, resulting in increased mortality among wild birds. Updates on the outbreak in the Netherlands can be followed via our monthly overview of bird flu tests page, and at the European level,

In August 2024, the Dutch Wildlife Health Centre (DWHC) received the first reports of

Ten years ago, mass bird deaths due to bird flu were still an unknown phenomenon in the Netherlands, but nowadays we are regularly confronted with outbreaks of this disease among wild birds. In recent weeks, things have been seriously bad again. After images reached us from Germany of large numbers of sick and

Since early October, the DWHC has been receiving reports of increased mortality and abnormal behavior among wild birds in the north of the Netherlands. Birds from across the country have been sent by the DWHC to the WBVR to test for bird flu.

Since last weekend, the DWHC has been receiving reports of increased mortality and abnormal behavior among wild birds in the north of the Netherlands. The birds are exhibiting behavior that resembles an infection with bird flu, namely turning their heads in a circle-like motion. The reports are mostly of young

The DWHC was present at Utrecht Science Week and the national Weekend of Science to talk about our research on diseases in wild animals in the Netherlands. These were two very different activities: a stakeholders’ dinner on infectious diseases for directors and policymakers, and activities for children during the

Last night, avian influenza was confirmed at a broiler breeder farm in Gasselternijveenschemond, Drenthe. To prevent the spread of the avian influenza virus, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) is culling 71,000 animals and establishing Read more