PMV outbreak means no pigeons
DUE to the potential of a deadly virus outbreak no pigeons will be showing at the Gympie Show this year.
Gympie Show secretary Deb Rowlands said it was better to be safe than risk the virus infecting birds at Gympie.
Also cancelled is the Queensland Show Racer Association pigeon show, which was to be held in June at the Gympie Show Grounds.
QSRA vice-president Keron Anderson, from Beerwah, said the show had been held in Gympie since 1974 but was cancelled for the first time because of the Paramyxovirus (PMV) risk.
"It is a relative of the Newcastle disease which affects chooks," Mr Anderson said.
The virus had started to spread in Victoria, he said, and had "wiped" out 98% of the feral pigeons there.
"It hasn't mutated and there are no signs of it going into other birds. But it is easily transferred through clothing and shoes."
