AHMEDABAD/SURAT: With hundreds of birds dead due to bird flu across the country, the discovery of four dead crows near the famous Sun Temple in Modhera, Mehsana, sent locals in a tizzy. They called the animal husbandry department that sent the carcasses to a Bhopal-based laboratory to check if the death occurred due to avian flu.
The department has also taken 54 samples of migratory birds from Thol Bird Sanctuary and sent them to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal.
Mehsana animal husbandry officer Bharat Desai said, “In case of avian flu, a large number of birds die suddenly. In this case, only four have died due to unknown reasons. Even though it does not look like a case of avian influenza, we have sent the carcasses to a laboratory in Bhopal for a detailed analysis.”
Dr Desai added, “As a precautionary measure, the animal husbandry department collected samples, including bird droppings and blood, of 50 migratory birds from Thol and sent them to Bhopal for analysis."
Meanwhile, two more lapwings who were found sick near Bantva dam in Manavadar, died during treatment. Their samples have also been sent to Bhopal.
As many as 53 birds, including six migratory species were found dead in Manavadar on January 2, raising suspicion of bird flu. However, the animal husbandry department and forest department concluded that these birds had died of eating wheat heavily laced with pesticides.
Meanwhile, in Tapi, the animal husbandry department swung into action after reports that a large number of poultry birds have died in villages of Uchhal taluka over the past few days. “With bird flu cases being reported from other states, the department took samples and sent them to Bhopal for investigation,” said officials.