The Environment Ministry and the Kyoto Prefectural Government started capturing wild birds Saturday in Tanba, Kyoto Prefecture, as part of efforts to determine the infection route of the bird flu outbreak.
The plan is to collect blood and droppings from the birds, including migratory fowl, for analysis at Tottori University, officials said. They will take about one week to finish collecting samples from the birds.
Meanwhile, prefectural officials said the local government is planning to bury more than 4,700 tons of material exposed to the bird flu virus, including 265,000 dead chickens and their droppings, at two farms in Tanba.
The prefectural government plans to dig three pits at the Takeda and Funai farms to bury the contaminated waste.
"The amount is large, but I believe we can dispose of it in the three pits," a prefectural official said.
Ground Self-Defense Force troops were dispatched to the town, and on Saturday began helping local authorities dig the pits.
Under the national epidemic prevention manual, chickens infected with bird flu as well as their eggs, droppings and feed are considered to be contaminated and must be buried or burned.
The slaughter of the chickens at the two farms is now complete and their feed and droppings have been sterilized.
