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The Country That Fought Rabies By Dropping 1 Million Chicken Heads From An Airplane
40 years ago, Sweden found a very unique way to help combat instances in rabies in the wild
Rabies has long been a horrible disease that impacts humans and animals alike. While society has largely been able to keep it under control amongst the populace, it has proven to continue being a challenge out in the wild. Several decades ago, Sweden hit upon a unique strategy to combat the viral disease by dropping approximately one million chicken heads from airplanes to help vaccinate wild animals.
Infected animals, including humans, experience brain inflammation when infected by rabies. Contracted by the scratch or bite from an infected carrier, death is a near certainty once symptoms appear. Humans who receive treatment directly after possible exposure have made it so it is no longer the scourge it once was. However, it can still decimate animal populations that have not been inoculated (the first viable rabies vaccine was developed by Louis Pasteur in 1885).
Different animals can be more prevalent carriers of rabies, and in 1939 red foxes emerged as such a threat in Europe. In the ensuing years, infected foxes began infiltrating more and more European nations.
