Bird flu: More than 200 migratory birds found dead in Himachal Pradesh

Carcasses of 215 migratory birds were found in Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, taking the total number of such birds suspected to have died of avian influenza to 4,235

Carcasses of 215 migratory birds were found in Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district on Sunday, taking the total number of such birds suspected to have died of avian influenza to 4,235, officials said.

Each day, hundreds of migratory birds were found dead in the lake area since December 29. Last Monday, the samples tested positive for H5N1, they said.

Also, for the fourth day in a row, a large number of dead poultry birds were found dumped by the side of the Chandigarh-Shimla highway in Solan district. The remains of the birds were buried according to safety protocol and their samples sent to a disease diagnostic laboratory in Jalandhar.

Earlier, dead chickens were found dumped twice near Chakki Mor and once at Barog bypass near the district headquarters.

A joint team of animal husbandry officials from the Centre and the state visited Siyal in Dhameta wildlife range and Guglara in Nagrota Surian range of the sanctuary on Sunday to assess the situation,Chief wildlife warden Archana Sharma said.

A number of crows were also found dead in different parts of the state over the last few days. Carcasses of over 60 crows each were found at Pong Lake sanctuary in Kangra and Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district while 12 were found dead at Taliara in Mandi district.

Besides deaths of some crows were also reported in Bilaspur district.