CHANDIGARH: Four more birds were found dead at Sukhna Lake on Wednesday, taking the toll to five.
UT chief conservator of forests (CCF) Debendra Dalai said the forest and wildlife department’s team found one migratory bird - common coot – dead on Tuesday evening and four birds of other species, including crow, dead at regulatory end of Sukhna Lake. The reason is not known. Samples have been sent for testing, Dalai said.
“All bird watchers, volunteers, visitors and public to Sukhna and other water bodies have been asked to note any unnatural symptoms in birds such as diarrhoea, head tilt, paralysis and sluggish behaviour. In case of any such symptoms, they should report to the forest and wildlife department at landline number, 0172-2700217. General public is also requested not to panic with any misleading information on bird flu,” Dalai said.
In December 2014, the administration with the assistance of experts from Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar, had culled 110 domesticated geese after the central government notified the outbreak of avian influenza at Sukhna.
A senior UT official said migratory birds begin flocking to Sukhna and water bodies in Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary during winter. The regular winged guests to the city are ruddy shelducks, white-eyed pochards, common pochards, common coot, ferruginous pochards, tufted ducks and greylag goose among others.