Tourists visiting Bastar will not be able to see Pahadi Maina or hear her voice of this exquisite bird, at least for a month. For, entry of visitors in to Pahadi Maina Breeding Centre located on the premises of Forest School has been banned to save the State bird from falling prey to the avian influenza virus which killed thousands of poultry birds in Chhattisgarh last month.
Notably, to curb the spread of N5H1 virus, which killed poultry birds in Government poultry farm Jagdalpur in Bastar and Anjora in Durg district, to other birds, one kilometre area around the farm has been declared sensitive and no one is allowed to enter the area. Besides, the forest department has imposed a ban on the entry of tourists in the breeding centre where Pahadi Maina, facing extinction, have been kept for captive breeding. The ban will be in force between August 16 and September 16. Fear of viral infection reaching to the Maina is said to be the reason behind imposing the ban.
During this period, the department is taking special care of cleanliness as well as diet of the Maina under the direction of ornithologist. Every day spray of anti biotic drugs and sprinkling of lime is done near the cage of the Maina. According to forest department officials, though no spread of the virus has been reported in birds except poultry bird, the department is taking no chance to save the State bird from falling prey to the deadly virus.