IWN Report — Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur, Chennai, will shutter its doors to visitors for two days starting tomorrow, as a precaution after reports of H5N1 bird flu.
What the zoo has said
Sanitation and safety work will be carried out on Oct 22 and 23 while the gates stay shut, according to a public notice shared on X.
The zoo framed the decision as putting the wellbeing of its animals, visitors and staff first, and said further updates would come through its official social media handles.
The notice does not say what the reports concern, where the virus was detected, or whether any bird or mammal inside the zoological park has been tested or found infected. It also does not say whether the closure will be extended beyond 23 October. IWN has not found a confirmed H5N1 detection in Chennai for this week, so the trigger for the notice remains unconfirmed.
A city that has dealt with H5N1 before
Chennai is no stranger to the virus this year. According to a Feb. 6 Down To Earth report, laboratory tests confirmed highly pathogenic H5N1 in wild birds after more than 1,000 crows died across the city between late January and early February, with complaints coming from areas including Adyar, Velachery, Thiruvanmiyur and the East Coast Road. The state activated statewide surveillance at the time, and the Union government advised Tamil Nadu to step up monitoring of poultry farms, wildlife habitats and bird markets. Officials reported no human infections then. That coverage is media reporting, not a primary source, and it describes the February outbreak rather than anything announced this week.
Zoos elsewhere in India have taken a similar line when avian influenza has appeared nearby. Down To Earth notes that the Delhi zoo was closed to visitors in September 2025 after a bird flu outbreak there.
What to watch
Anyone planning a visit to Vandalur on Thursday or Friday should expect the zoo to be closed, and should keep an eye on its social media accounts for word on whether it reopens as planned. IWN will update this report if the zoo, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department or the state’s animal husbandry authorities say what prompted the closure.
Sources: Arignar Anna Zoological Park (Vandalur Zoo) on X · Down To Earth (background on the February 2026 outbreak)