In a New Jersey borough, two parks and part of another have been closed indefinitely following the discovery of numerous deceased Canadian geese over the last three weeks.

According to Mayor Thomas Fritts, Dr. Farmer’s Park, Pete Sensi Park, and a section of Heritage Park in Allentown will remain inaccessible after the removal of about 30 dead geese over the weekend.

These incidents come amidst a surge in avian influenza, suspected to be responsible for over 100 wild bird deaths statewide in the past month. This situation has led authorities to advise the public against handling geese without appropriate protective equipment.

“It’s disheartening for the community to witness this and feel somewhat powerless,” Fritts expressed to NJ Advance Media. “Having to see it unfold day after day has been particularly challenging for residents.”

Prior to the contractor’s visit on Saturday, a notice was shared. While the geese have been removed, borough officials will continue to restrict access to these parks as they determine the best public health measures, Fritts stated.

The majority of the deceased geese are linked to Conines Millpond, a central water feature in the borough. Borough Administrator Laurie Roth noted that the geese have increasingly populated this area due to the destruction of their habitat in nearby Robbinsville’s Mercer Corporate Park.

Dr. Farmer’s Park and Pete Sensi Park are both located along the banks of the waterway.

The closure was officially announced last Friday on the borough’s Facebook page. This affects the entirety of Dr. Farmer’s Park, including its boat launch, while all of Pete Sensi Park is off-limits apart from its parking area.

In Heritage Park, only access along the waterway is restricted, per the announcement.

As of Tuesday, it was still unclear whether any of the collected birds from Allentown underwent testing for the virus.

“These birds might be tested for H5N1, but it’s too soon to confirm if this was the cause of their deaths,” remarked Larry Hajna, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

The agency’s Division of Fish and Wildlife has advised borough officials that H5N1, the virus responsible for the disease, is a potential cause for the fatalities. However, the municipality has not received definitive confirmation, according to Fritts.

Over the past three weeks, the presence of dead geese has gradually increased in the parks, particularly at the spillway dam that channels water from the millpond to a smaller body of water across Old York Road. The mayor estimated that more than 20 carcasses accumulated at the top of the spillway, obstructing the waterfall.

Allentown spent approximately $6,000 on the removal of the deceased waterfowl, which was the most affordable option among various contractors contacted, Fritts noted.

“After reaching out to over 50 companies, it took days to find a few willing to assist,” Fritts said. “This has placed a considerable strain on the borough as we navigated finding the right protocols.”

Wall Township, located east of Allentown in Monmouth County, is also facing a similar situation, having dealt with dead birds, including 30 retrieved from the banks of Shark River.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has stated that it is unlikely to test every deceased bird to avoid overwhelming its laboratories. Generally, officials consider the virus as the probable cause of mass bird fatalities based on a single positive test.

“We may also refrain from submitting samples if there’s been a recent positive case in the vicinity,” Tanya Espinosa, a spokesperson for the agency’s Health and Plant Inspection Service, stated in an email to NJ Advance Media. “It’s assumed that, given the known presence of avian influenza, the birds perished as a result.”

This outbreak, which began in January 2022, has also contributed to the deaths of thousands of commercial poultry across the United States. This situation, along with culling efforts to manage the virus, has led to a scarcity of eggs and a consequent rise in prices in retail stores nationwide.