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Today, the gates are closed. The presence of Avian Influenza (H5N1), introduced by wild bird populations frequenting the Cork Harbour area, has necessitated the closure of the park. This is a public health and animal welfare decision, made in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and was the responsible course of action. We understand the disappointment felt among all of our partners and supporters, most importantly, the visiting public. We miss our visitors; the park feels quiet without the sounds of families, school groups, couples, and individuals enjoying the authentic and immersive wildlife experience. However, I want to reassure everyone that while our gates are closed, the essential work of wildlife conservation and animal welfare continues diligently behind closed doors. The impact of the closure is also felt keenly by our conservation education mission, as our state-of-the-art education, conservation, and research centre is temporarily closed. Pausing this vital function — which includes the delivery of learning programmes to thousands of school students, research partnerships and community engagement — is a difficult consequence of the virus. However, we look forward to reopening the facility when it is safe to do so, so that we can continue our role as a national centre for learning and conservation. The avian influenza outbreak is a serious situation affecting wildlife facilities across Ireland, the UK and Europe. The virus does not respect boundaries, travelling with wild bird populations along migratory flight paths that pass directly over Cork Harbour. Like many conservation facilities, Fota Wildlife Park is responding to an environmental factor outside of our control. Our response has been comprehensive and is built on the strong foundations of our long-established avian vaccination programme and bird surveillance protocols. Our veterinary and animal care teams have implemented targeted mitigation measures to actively protect the health of our bird population. All bird species in our care have been isolated from any contact with wild bird populations. This combination of protocols has proven highly effective: although we faced losses in the initial outbreak, we can confirm that our remaining bird population is currently testing negative for avian influenza, demonstrating the robust nature of our biosecurity protocols and the success of our professional husbandry standards. The work of wildlife conservation and expert animal care cannot be put on hold because our gates are closed. Regardless of the closure, our teams are working every day ensuring specialised care and veterinary oversight continue for every animal. Our dedicated staff continue to arrive each day, providing specialist care for over 100 species, despite the uncertainty created by this extended closure. While the focus has been on disease control, life at the park continues to flourish. Behind the scenes, our animals are thriving and we’re looking forward to sharing news of new arrivals with you in the near future. However, the reality of an extended closure period is stark. Fota Wildlife Park is expected to remain closed until the end of November, at which point the situation will be reassessed. The loss of vital visitor revenue is having a significant financial impact on our organisation. The operational cost alone — the cost of maintaining world-class animal care standards — is substantial. Despite these challenges, we are incredibly grateful for the support we have received from various quarters. Your messages of solidarity, the kindness of our annual pass holders who have chosen to renew, and the dedicated engagement of our community have been incredibly heartening. Additionally, we are actively exploring every avenue for financial support to help manage the loss of revenue and to secure our long-term future. Fota Wildlife Park has been at the heart of Ireland’s conservation efforts, a sanctuary where endangered species thrive, where people connect with nature and where we work every day to reverse biodiversity loss. You have always supported us by visiting in your thousands and championing the park and its conservation work; now we ask you to continue your support in a different way. This is not a new ask; it is a continuation of the same commitment you have always shown. By donating or sponsoring an animal today, you are directly funding the essential, specialist care continuing behind closed gates. You are ensuring that when this international challenge passes, the park remains resilient, and ready to continue its vital conservation programmes and to reverse the loss of biodiversity in Ireland and across the planet. Please visit our website to make a donation or sponsor an animal species by calling our team on 021-4812678. We look forward to opening our gates and welcoming you back when it’s safe to do so. Aileen Tennant, director, Fota Wildlife Park
