Expert panel says avian influenza not behind Pali peacock deaths
JODHPUR: The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal has ruled out avian influenza as the reason behind the death of more than 150 peacocks in Pali district.
After the death of more than 150 peacocks in four villages of Pali district in the last fortnight, the district administration had sent the viscera of dead peacocks to the Bhopal institute for investigation.
The institute has not found presence of avian influenza virus in the viscera of dead peacocks, as per the report issued by the institute, a copy of which is available with HT.
The state forest department will now conduct toxicology examination of the viscera of dead peacocks in two more laboratories, so that the causes of death can be revealed, a forest department official said on Wednesday.
According to veterinary experts, poisoning could be the reason after the bird flu was ruled out by the Bhopal institute. Most of the peacocks brought in an unconscious state to the rescue centre at Machia Biological Park in Jodhpur were being treated for poisoning and as a result most of the peacocks were recovering, they said.
Meanwhile, the peacock deaths in Pali district continued on Wednesday. An official monitoring the death of peacocks admitted that the peacocks were dying, but refused to share numbers.
The viscera of a dead peacock and a peahen were sent by the animal husbandry department at NIHSAD for examination. NIHSAD director VP Singh in his report stated that the viscera of peahen was unfit for examination.
Acting deputy conservator of forests Jaydev Charan said that on Tuesday, viscera of the dead peacocks were taken again, which will be sent to the Veterinary College in Bikaner for further examination to ascertain the exact cause of death. Only after getting the report from there, something can be said.
Experts said that consumption of pesticide-containing grains or any fungal food items is expected to lead to abnormal deaths in peacocks.
Dr Gyan Prakash, a wildlife veterinary officer at Machia Biological Park, said that 72 peacocks were brought to the park from Pali district with neurological signs till Wednesday, out of which 32 peacocks have recovered. “Seven peacocks are under treatment. Unhealthy peacocks have been clinically treated as poisoned, which saved most peacocks,” he said.
He said the viscera of dead peacock will also be sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly for examination on Thursday.