London Zoo has shut down its walk-through bird enclosures over fears the animals could contract a virulent strain of bird flu.

The zoo has also cancelled its daily free-flying bird demonstration and is moving its chickens inside away from children.

Some strains of avian flu can pass to humans, though there have been no reported cases of the disease in UK birds in 2016.

A spokesperson for the zoo told The Independent: “We have stringent measures permanently in place to ensure our animals remain healthy at London Zoo, and their wellbeing continues to be our priority.

“None of the birds at ZSL London Zoo have been affected.”

The move comes after all bird keepers in the UK were ordered to keep their animals indoors for a month by the Government’s chief vet.

The “prevention zone” for England requires all commercial birds be kept away from wild birds to minimise the risk of contagion.

London Zoo gorilla returned safely after escaping enclosure

The H5N8 strain of avian flu is extremely contagious and has been found in dead wild birds and some farm birds across Europe.

The Food Standards Agency has said bird flu “does not pose a food safety risk” to Britons.

An FSA spokeswoman told The Guardian: “The risk of getting bird flu through the food chain is very low. Some strains of avian influenza can pass to humans, but this is very rare.

“It usually requires close contact between the human and infected live birds. Properly cooked chicken and turkey and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.”

All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo Show all 13 1 /13 All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo london zoo.jpg Getty Images All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo meerkat-getty.jpg Getty Images All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo penguin-getty.jpg Getty Images All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo leaf-insects-ap.jpg AP All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo londonzoo2-rt.jpg Squirrel Monkey Reuters All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo red-kneed-spider-reuters.jpg Reuters All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo londonzoo1-gt.jpg A Bactrian camel Getty Images All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo Otters-getty.jpg Getty Images All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo ricky-rockhopper-penguin-ge.jpg Getty Images All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo muddy-bullfrog-ap.jpg AP All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo Jungle-Nymph-getty.jpg Getty Images All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo python-getty.jpg Getty Images All creatures great and small: Annual animal census begins at London Zoo eagle-owl-getty].jpg Getty Images

Outbreaks of the disease have been reported in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Germany in 2016.

Although human cases have been rare this year, several infections in people were reported in Egypt and China.