NC Zoo permanently closing aviary

The North Carolina Zoo is permanently closing its aviary, which has been a staple at the zoo for 40 years.

The aviary has been closed since Jan. 24 due to a highly contagious bird flu spreading across North Carolina. In Thursday's announcement, zoo leaders said the closure was not connected directly to the bird flu but instead to the age of the building and required maintenance.

The domed building, which was built in the early 1980s, requires significant repairs due to the impact of high humidity and wet conditions.

Zoo leaders called the decision to close the exhibit difficult.

"For 40 years, the Zoo's aviary offered a special place to connect with nature," said the zoo's director, Pat Simmons. "The free-flying birds and tropical plants served as an oasis for many people - guests and staff alike. It was a heart-wrenching decision to close the aviary; however, safety is our highest priority.”

The zoo will remove the building, and 93 birds representing 33 species will either be relocated to other parts of the zoo or moved to other facilities within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

There are also 2,000 plants representing 450 species in the aviary. The zoo has not yet determined what to do with those.

Zoo staff will not lose their jobs when the aviary closes because they will be reassigned to other areas.

So far, no birds at the zoo have tested positive for the virus, which has killed at least three bald eagles in the state and resulted in the euthanasia of thousands of chickens and turkeys.