Bird flu fears hit Key West fowl

Chickens have been roaming the streets of Key West for 50 years

Thousands of wild chickens roaming the streets of Key West are to be rounded up by local officials over fears they could become infected by bird flu.

The birds, which have had the run of Key West for more than 50 years, are one of the island town's most famous tourist attractions.

But local officials have decided to evict them over health concerns.

Although bird flu has not reached the US, Key West lies on a bird migration path, officials say.

Local officials on Tuesday approved a resolution to bar the free-roaming fowl from the town's streets and parks.

Chicken lovers

The chicken population in Key West is estimated at well-over 2,000.

Previous attempts to regulate their roaming or remove them from the streets have failed due to opposition from residents.

Two years ago, city officials were forced to fire a local bird catcher they had hired after he failed to capture a sufficient number of chickens, AP news agency reports.

His job was rendered almost impossible after locals sabotaged his equipment and freed the captured birds, the agency adds.

Since 2003, more than 100 people have died from the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, most of them in Asia.

Last October, the Canadian authorities found a strain of bird flu among wild birds in the provinces of Quebec and Manitoba.