Wildlife officials probing deaths of over 500 migratory birds in Tripura

Agartala, Jan 28 (IANS) Forest and wildlife officials continued their study and inspection for the second day on Friday after the carcasses of over 500 migratory birds were found at the famous Sukh Sagar lake in southern Tripuras Gomati district, top officials said on Friday.

Tripura's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dvijendra Kumar Sharma said that the officials since Thursday are busy collecting information, samples of dead birds and trying to ascertain the reasons behind their deaths.

"The officials are examining all possible reasons for the death of the migratory birds. We are also sending the samples of the dead birds to the laboratories to ascertain the cause of the death of the birds," Sharma told IANS.

Every year during the winter season, lakhs of migratory birds of different species fly down to Sukh Sagar and other lakes and water bodies of Tripura from different parts of the country and abroad. This year too was no exception as the winged guests came to the northeastern state.

Though the officials are yet to ascertain the reason behind the birds' deaths local people suspect that they might have died of insecticides used in the nearby paddy fields.

Local people said that every year thousands of migratory birds come to Sukh Sagar but they had never witnessed such a horrific sight where a large number of migratory birds were found dead at one time.

They estimated that over one thousand migratory birds might have died in the lake.

Sub Divisional Forest Officer Kamal Bhowmik after conducting a preliminary investigation said that the carcasses of the migratory birds have been sent for post mortem to Agartala.

Officials said that the carcasses were found scattered across the big Sukh Sagar lake and it was very difficult to give the exact count of the dead birds.

The officials referring to the local people's assumptions said that poachers might have poisoned the water body with pesticides, and the migratory birds, which have been coming from abroad, might have died after consuming the water of the century-old lake.