Iceland Eruption: The Birds Fly into the Ash and Die

[Donna]

Iceland Review’s reporters, editor Bjarni Brynjólfsson and photographer Páll Stefánsson, are now on location of the eruption at Skógar. Since the road is closed at Markarfljót they had to take the very long route, flying to Egilstadir in eastern Iceland last night, rent a car and drive nonstop to Kirkjubæjarklaustur, where they arrived at five o’clock in the morning. They then drove into the wall of ash on their trail towards the Eyjafjallajökull area.

Visibility in the ash was zero at points and they had to stop until wind picked up and the ash had blown away. One of the most terrible consequences of an eruption like this is the effect on animals. Most domestic animals are still in house, but the birds have no shelter. They fly into the dark cloud, flap their wings like they have lost their bearings and then fall down and die. Our reporters saw a flock of geese fly straight into the deadly ash. Farmers have told of the desparate sound coming from the birds battling death. This is the season when birds are migrating back to Iceland.

All inhabitants have been evacuated so nobody is in this area except our reporters and the police. A policeman had to walk in front of the car when it was going through the darkest smoke.

The accompanying photos were taken this afternoon in the Skógar area. Black smoke and ash are being thrown out of the crater at high speed.

The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority released an announcement this morning, asking that all horse owners who keep their herds outside be on the alert due to ash fall. Where there is significant ash fall all horses must be sheltered indoors.
According to the weather forecast, there is most risk for ash fall in Rangárvallasýsla county in the coming days but all horse owners in south and southeast Iceland must be prepared to protect their horses.

It is dangerous for horses to breathe in the ash, drink polluted water and eat polluted fodder. Therefore all horses must be sheltered inside if they cannot be relocated to a safer area.

However, transport of mares in foal should be avoided, especially if they are due to foal within a month.

If they cannot be kept inside stables, they must be kept near buildings where they can be given clean water to drink and the fodder can be protected from the ash.

It is most important to protect one-year old foals that are growing from fluorine poisoning because they are at most risk for permanent damage to their teeth and bones.

Mares in foal are at risk of calcium deficiency in the blood which is a life-threatening condition.