Hundreds of crows carcasses were found in Rajasthan prompting an alert for bird flu in the state. The dreaded virus was confirmed in dead crows in the Jhalawar district and many other cities, including Jaipur, officials said.
Speaking on the issue, the Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Kunji Lal Meena said that the deaths due to bird flu have been mainly reported among crows, with most of them from the Kota and Jodhpur divisions. The bird deaths began from December 25 in Jhalawar, some 340km from state capital Jaipur.
On Sunday, seven crows were found dead at the iconic Jal Mahal in the capital, taking the total deaths to 252 in the state.
So far, the death of 100 crows has been reported from Jhalawar, 72 from Baran, 47 from Kota, 19 from Pali and seven from Jodhpur and Jaipur each.
The samples were sent to National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal where the deadly virus was detected. A special team has been sent to Ajmer and to Bharatpur to oversee the situation.
Carcasses of the birds were being disposed of carefully in pits in the area – which was then sanitised carefully. The team took all precautions and wore safety gear.
