High alert at Harike wetland after death of 17,000 migratory birds in Rajasthan
BATHINDA: The state wildlife authorities have put Harike Pattan wetland on high alert after 17,000 migratory birds reportedly died around the famous saltwater Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan in the past one week.
According to officials, the Rajasthan health and wildlife authorities have attributed the mass mortality of the visiting avian population to avian botulism, a fatal disease that affects the nerves of birds.
Chief wildlife warden Kuldeep Kumar Lomis told HT on Wednesday that the field staff has been directed to ensure extra vigil around Harike Pattan to spot any incident of bird casualty.
“Around 50,000 migratory birds are estimated to have already arrived at the wetland. Though no avian is found dead in and around the water body, our teams have been asked to alert the higher authorities in case of any suspicious incident,” he said. The Harike wetland is located on the inter-district border of Ferozepur-tarn Taran, where Sutlej and Beas rivers merge.
Besides migratory birds including Gulls, Terns Ruff and Reeve, Harike attracts several resident migratory birds such as black-headed Ibis, woollynecked stork visit Harike during every winter season.
Lomis said they are contacting wildlife officials in Rajasthan to find out if mass mortality has been reported in particular avian species. “It will help in understanding the trend of deaths among birds and chalking out an emergency preparation plan,” added the official.
THE DISEASE
According to Devinder Singh, a professor of zoology at Patiala– based Punjabi University, avian botulism is a bacterial disease and it spreads through carcasses of fish and other aquatic life. He said avian botulism does not transmit to humans but this fatal bacterial infection proves fatal.
“Blowfly is crucial behind the outbreak of avian botulism. Once a dead fish or any water animal dies, it attracts blowfly. As various bird species feed upon the larvae, they come into the deadly contact of the bacteria. The wildlife authorities should ensure that dead aquatic animals are disposed of in a proper manner and the carcasses should not be allowed to rot around the wetland,” he said.