Ops on to rescue incapacitated birds at Sambhar lake

Operations were carried out to rescue the migratory birds that were found incapacitated at the Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan, days after thousands of them were found dead around the water body, officials said on Tuesday.

A team consisting of Chief Conservator of Forest Arun Prasad, Divisional Forest Officer Kavita Singh and a panel of doctors from the State Disease Diagnostic Centre also visited the spot for examination, they said.

Sources said that since Monday, 2,338 dead birds were found by forest teams combing the area, however, the official toll stood at 1,500.

While the cause of death is yet to be ascertained, the team ruled out the possibility of bird flu (H5N1) and noted the birds showed symptoms of paralysis leading to death.

"Paralysis before death is a symptom of toxicity in the water. The deaths could also be due to overconsumption of salt. However, we'll be able to confirm the exact reason once we have the results," Prasad told PTI after consulting with a team of doctors.

"We are ruling out bird flu, there is no secretion in the birds, no laceration either. Also, bird flu usually affects 80 per cent of the bird population and becomes an epidemic, which is not the case here," he added.

The sources said that forest teams were combing the boundary of the lake and since Monday, they had found 2,338 dead birds in the area who were later buried.

The boundary of the lake is 15 km in length and the teams have covered 3 km so far, the sources said.

Locals have claimed the number of dead birds could be as high as 5,000.

They said operations are also underway to rescue the incapacitated birds.

The number of affected bird species increased to 28 from the earlier reported number of 10, the sources said.

The affected bird species were Pallas's Gull, Pied Avocet, Ruff, Common Red Shanks, Marsh Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Lesser Sand Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Common Coot, Green Bee-eater, Black winged Kite, Ruddy Shelduck, Black-winged Stilt, Temmink's Stint, Gadwalls, Black/brown headed Gull, Gull-Billed Tern, Greater Flamingo, Lesser Whistling duck, Creak, Silverbill, Knob-billed duck, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal, and Northern Pintail.

Thousands of migratory birds were found dead on Sunday around Sambhar Lake, the country's largest inland saltwater lake near Jaipur, sending shock waves among locals and authorities.

Volunteers of a local NGO, Wildlife Creatures Organisation, along with a few veterinary doctors rescued some struggling birds that were not able to move.

"We have administered medicine to reduce stress, and antihistamines, and antibiotics for now in case there's an infection viral or bacterial," Ashok Rao, a veterinary doctor, said.

A rescued flamingo bird reacted positively to the treatment and managed to float on water, Rao said.