A avian flu outbreak in a New Jersey borough has led to the closure of several parks, including Dr. Farmer’s Park, Pete Sensi Park, and a portion of Heritage Park. The parks were closed after dozens of dead geese tested positive for H5N1, the virus that causes the illness.
According to Borough Administrator Laurie Roth, the parks will remain closed indefinitely until it warms up enough to allow for re-opening. The borough had spent $6,000 on removing 30 dead geese from the area in February, and since then, at least three more dead birds have been found.
The outbreak is believed to be linked to the Conines Millpond, a body of water in the borough’s center, where geese have increasingly occupied after a habitat was destroyed at Mercer Corporate Park. The Conines Millpond has seen an increase in dead geese over the past weeks, particularly at the dam spillway.
Meanwhile, local officials have asked the Lions Foundation to relocate its Easter egg hunt event, which was scheduled for April 12. No human cases of avian flu have been reported in New Jersey so far, but the outbreak has contributed to higher egg prices in recent months and led to thousands of commercial poultry deaths nationwide.
The closure is a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the virus, and local officials are urging residents to be cautious when visiting public parks until further notice.
Source: https://www.nj.com/monmouth/2025/02/dead-geese-removed-from-nj-boroughs-parks-test-positive-for-bird-flu-officials-say.html