The extreme temperature fluctuation in Chandigarh proved fatal for the domestic ducks at Sukhna lake.
As many as 12 domestic ducks have died in the past three days at Sukhna lake in Chandigarh. According to the reports received by UT Animal and Husbandry Department on Friday, the ducks have died due to extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night in the city.
As per the reports received, no signs of H5N1 avian influenza or any another virus was found in the domestic ducks that died in last three days here.
The UT Wildlife Department had sent the body of dead birds to veterinary laboratory in Jalandhar, Punjab to determine the cause of death and to check if avian flu was the cause of death.
While talking to The Pioneer, Dr lovelesh Kant Gupta, Joint Director, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department said, “The extreme temperature variations between day and night in Chandigarh have led to the death of domestic ducks. As per the report received from the Jalandhar laboratory, no signs of H5N1 avian influenza have been found in the dead birds.
Dr lovelesh said, “The extreme temperature fluctuations in the city have caused pneumonia and failure of internal organs like liver in birds that led to their death. In Chandigarh, the day temperatures are recorded between 25-30 degree Celsius while the night temperatures are plunging upto 6 degree Celsius.”
After the deaths of domestic ducks at Sukhna lake, both the UT Forest & Wildlife Department and UT Animal Husbandry Department are keeping a strict vigil on residents and migratory birds to prevent death of other birds.
The UT Forest and Wildlife Department has stepped up its vigilance to provide a safe habitat to both migratory and domestic birds and ward off the risks of deadly bird flu.
According to the UT Forest and Wildlife Department, there are around 100 domestic ducks and 50 migratory birds near the boating area while more than 1000 winged guests have made abode at the regulator end of Sukhna lake this year.
Santosh Kumar, UT Conservator of forests-cum wildlife warden while talking to The Pioneer said, “The forest guards and field officers have been deployed to watch over the winged guests and domestic ducks at Sukhna lake. The Department has already put up signages of warning against human feeding to migratory birds.”
“To provide a safe habitat to migratory birds, the Department is trying to separate them from domestic ducks and shift them to the regulator end of Sukhna lake. The Department has also asked the Police officials deployed at the lake to keep a check on visitors’ activities and warn visitors against feeding the birds,” he said.
Every year, the migratory birds reach Chandigarh by mid-November from Siberia, Central Asia, China, Afghanistan and the upper Himalayas and their stay lasts till March or April.
The regular winged guests here include common pochards, tufted ducks, common coot, Brahmi duck, gray heron, grey leggy, white-eyed pochards, green sand piper, redshanks, goose, siberian ducks, crane, shell duck, red-crusted pochard.