Ahmedabad: Disease Investigation Laboratory in Ahmedabad has ruled out poisoning as the cause of death of the migratory birds found along the Sabarmati river between April 23 – 27. Water quality tests conducted by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation along the stretch of the river where the dead birds were recovered also proved negative.

On April 23, Soham Mukherjee of the Animal Help Foundation, also a member of the Wildlife Rehabilitators Exchange Network (WREN) Programme of the Wildlife Trust of India along with his team recovered more than 15 dead birds from the affected areas. These birds included little egrets, night heron, pond heron, lesser cormorant, black kite and intermediate egrets.

Samples were also sent to the High Security Disease Investigation Laboratory in Bhopal by the Animal Husbandry Department for avian flu test. Avian flu cases in the domestic poultry had been reported from the state in the past and the authorities are on high alert after the recovery of these dead birds. The results from these tests are awaited.

The search for dead birds continued till April 27, which resulted in the recovery of 40 dead birds. Postmortems conducted by the Animal Help Foundation revealed crystallized deposition (gout formation) in lungs, liver and heart. Presently about 84 affected birds are under treatment at the centre.

With not many resources and help, the rescuers used net to pull out the dead and ailing birds in neck deep filthy water. The rescue team waded through the river filled with garbage, some of them even sustained severe injuries from cut glasses, barbed wires and sharp stones present in the water.

According to Prajna Paramita Panda of WTI, “Further investigations need to be made at the site since the cause of death is still unknown and subsequent mortality of birds for days raises concern on the survival of these water birds.”

In January this year, similar recoveries of dead birds were made in the Lakota lake of Jamnagar town. Here, more than 500 birds including the slender billed gull (Larus genei), black headed gull (Larus ridibundus) and brown headed gull (Larus brunnicephalus) were found dead. The cause of death was suspected to be the spurious oil used in the pea flour balls made into pellets and noodles, locally known as ‘Gathia.’ These items were widely used for feeding these birds by the visitors.