The South African Government orders the slaughter of 30 000 ostriches in an effort to contain an outbreak of bird flu

Date: 8 Aug 2004
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

In 2004, South Africa was hit by the H5N2 strain of the Avian Flu Virus. The virus killed over 2000 birds in the Middleton area of the Eastern Cape and quickly spread. On 8 August, the government ordered the slaughter of 30 000 ostriches in an effort to contain the virus. All export of poultry was suspended as well as the movement of poultry between Eastern and Western Cape. Earlier that year the H5N1 strain of the virus had hit Asia. The devastation was so great that when it hit South Africa, the government acted swiftly in a bid to avoid the same devastation that Asia had suffered.

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How we know this

01Timelines Bird Flu [online] Available at: www.timelinesdb.com[Accessed on 16 July 2012]
02United Poultry Concerns The Avian Flu Crisis in Canada: Ethics of Farmed-Animal Disease Control[online] Available at: www.upc-online.org[Accessed on 16 July 2012]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, August 2). The South African Government orders the slaughter of 30 000 ostriches in an effort to contain an outbreak of bird flu. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089630

South African History Online (2012) 'The South African Government orders the slaughter of 30 000 ostriches in an effort to contain an outbreak of bird flu', South African History Online, 2 August. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089630 (Accessed: 20 September 2026).

South African History Online, The South African Government orders the slaughter of 30 000 ostriches in an effort to contain an outbreak of bird flu [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089630, (accessed 20 September 2026).

"The South African Government orders the slaughter of 30 000 ostriches in an effort to contain an outbreak of bird flu." South African History Online, 2 Aug. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089630. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "The South African Government orders the slaughter of 30 000 ostriches in an effort to contain an outbreak of bird flu." South African History Online. August 2, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0089630.