Residents of Bas-Saint-Laurent do not hide their concern over the discovery of hundreds of seabird carcasses in their region along the river, while the first cases of avian flu have just been confirmed.

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Between Trois-Pistoles and Rivière-du-Loup, the 10 birds examined, common eiders and gulls, tested positive for avian flu.

The 840 sea ducks and 200 dead gulls were mainly found on White Island.

Further east, still along the river, in Rimouski, about thirty carcasses were found on the shore. The test results confirm that they are cases of avian flu, the ministry said on Friday.

Lucie Beauchesne, a resident of Rimouski met on a beach in this city where several dead birds have been observed, told us that this is not her first carcass found, but that this year, things are different. .

Never so much

“We have never seen so many. I saw eight of them side by side the other time. I have several friends who walk less with their dog on the beach for fear of running into birds.”

Another Rimouskoise, Nathalie Lainesse, told us that she “finds it worrying for the environment”.

“I am also afraid that certain species of birds are becoming endangered. It's a little stressful for the future."