• Opinion

Animals

13 December, 2025

Last week, the municipality of Getafe (in Madrid, Spain) became the scene of an alarming discovery: hundreds of storks were found dead in the Manzanares River. In just four days, firefighters and forest agents removed more than 400 specimens, although figures vary according to sources.

• Firefighters: estimate around 500 dead birds.
• Environmental Department: confirms 409 specimens.

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In any case, the magnitude of the event has generated concern among both authorities and the local population.

State of the birds and initial investigations

According to emergency teams, the storks were in different states:

• Some had died recently.
• Others were in a state of decomposition.
• Several showed signs of having been bitten by scavenging animals.

The carcasses were removed and transported by an authorized company to a processing plant, where they were destroyed. Meanwhile, some specimens were sent to laboratories for autopsies and virological analyses.

Confirmation of avian flu

The Department of Environment, Agriculture, and Interior confirmed that it is a avian flu outbreak. Analyses conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture indicate that it corresponds to a low pathogenicity variant, which initially does not require notification of the outbreak.

However, the Madrid government decided to apply preventive measures typical of high pathogenicity outbreaks, including:

• Prohibition of raising ducks and geese alongside other poultry.
• Restriction of outdoor poultry farming.
• Limitation of visits to poultry facilities.
• Control of water supply to prevent contamination.

Authorities noted that if new studies confirm a high pathogenicity variant, the outbreak will be officially declared.

Risk of contagion and protection measures

Among firefighters, there is some concern about the lack of information on the risk of contagion. The Community of Madrid maintains that the risk is very low, as human transmission of the H5N1 virus has only been observed in exceptional cases after close contact with infected animals.

The Department clarified that:

• Avian flu can be transmitted to humans through mucous membranes, with effects similar to seasonal flu.
• No cases of transmission through direct contact have been reported in Europe.
• The consumption of poultry-derived products does not pose a risk of contagion.

Firefighters worked with high-protection suits, similar to sanitary PPEs, although the risk can never be completely ruled out.

Institutional response

The Getafe City Council was the first to raise the alarm, although it has not yet received official notification of the final analysis results.

If high pathogenicity is confirmed, the Community of Madrid will notify the Veterinary Health Alert Network (Rasve) and will strengthen communication and surveillance measures in the affected municipalities, as well as in the forest agent bodies and the Seprona.

The discovery of more than 400 dead storks in Getafe highlights the vulnerability of wild birds to avian flu and the need to implement strict preventive measures. Although initial analyses point to a low-danger variant, the Community of Madrid has chosen to act cautiously, reinforcing controls and protocols to prevent the spread of the virus and protect both wildlife and the population.