Carcasses of hundreds of pigeons found unattended
We have sent a team to the village on Wednesday for sample collection, says district animal husbandry officer
RANCHI: Hundreds of pigeons died in past three days have allegedly been left uncared and now the stray dogs are feasting on them in Dumaria village in Hazaribag district, alleged locals on Wednesday.
District animal husbandry department, however, sent a team on Wednesday to take samples of the dead pigeons. Villagers claimed that more than 200 pigeons died since Monday.
Praveen Prasad Mehta, a resident of Dumaria village, said, “We saw more than 25 dead pigeons in premises of a temple in the village. The next day on Tuesday, we found more than 100 carcasses lying on the floor and terrace of the temple.”
“We informed the animal husbandry department officials as we thought bird flu could be a reason. However, the officials took it very lightly and said birds are dying due to cold in many parts of the district during this season,” he said.
“Till Tuesday evening, no official visited the village. Then, villagers threw the carcasses in nearby forest. Stray dogs ate them all by Wednesday morning. Around four dead pigeons were also found lying in the premises on Wednesday. There were around 500 pigeons in the temple premises but hardly 100 or 200 pigeons are alive now,” Mehta said.
Hazaribag district animal husbandry officer (DAHO) Newton Tirkey said, “We have sent a team to the village on Wednesday for sample collection, which will be sent to Kolkata for testing.”
He said they got information about the dead pigeons on Tuesday evening. “No case of avian influenza has still been confirmed in the district. Generally, birds die in this season due to extreme cold. So, cold could be a reason. But, we cannot certify it until test reports come,” he said.
Director of Institution of Animal Health and Production (IAHP), Kanke, the department which is monitoring the bird flu situation in the state, Vipin Bihari Mahtha said, “Till date, we have sent around 4,500 samples including of domestic and wild birds to Research Disease Diagnostic Lab (RDDL), Kolkata. However, bird flu case has not been confirmed yet.”
Mahtha said, “Generally, we look after the domestic birds like poultry, ducks and others, while wild birds should be taken care by the forest department. In view of outbreak of bird flu in many states, we are taking every death of bird seriously either it is domestic or wild.”
Veterinary experts of Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Ranchi, said samples of dead birds should be collected within 12 hours after death of the bird, which increases possibility of accuracy in the test. Swabs are extracted from the respiratory tract of birds as sample for testing. Besides, serum is also taken for more accurate testing, they said.