Attenborough Nature Reserve on High Alert as Bird Deaths Spike

As of November 14th, 2025, Attenborough Nature Reserve, one of the largest in the region, is on high alert due to a concerning spike in bird deaths in the area. According to Ms Martins, the reserve has gone into "biosecurity mode," where all birds are being kept indoors and visitors are required to disinfect their feet upon entering and leaving the site.

The situation is particularly worrying, as Ms Martins explains that if a single case of a potential outbreak is reported to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the authorities may be forced to destroy every animal and bird on the reserve. This drastic measure is intended to prevent the further spread of the infection.

Locals have also noticed a significant change in the area's wildlife population. Tammy Mills, a resident of Burton Joyce, has been walking along the River Trent on her commute to work and has observed that the once-abundant swans have disappeared. Instead, she has come across several dead birds floating in the water, which she described as a "quite horrific" sight.

The Attenborough Nature Reserve is closely monitoring the situation and has asked visitors to keep their pets away from the birds and to refrain from feeding the wild birds, as this could contribute to the spread of the infection.