Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture worker takes dead chickens to be burned on a farm in village outside Kano

Niger has appealed for international help in battling an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu.

Officials Wednesday, said they need supplies like vaccines for unaffected poultry and protective suits for people destroying birds infected with the virus.

The World Animal Health Organization said Monday it had found the H5N1 strain among domestic ducks in southern Niger. That outbreak was near the border with Nigeria, where H5N1 also was recently found.

Authorities are trying to stop the movement of poultry in the region and have placed affected farms under heightened surveillance.

Niger's government says it will compensate farmers $1.80 (1,000 CFA francs) for every bird destroyed when the culling process begins.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.