Mass crow deaths in Paradip trigger panic
KENDRAPADA: Death of many crows in the port town of Paradip on Sunday and Monday has triggered panic among residents, who have been advised by forest and veterinary officials not to touch the carcasses.
"Around 50 crows died in Paradip on Sunday and Monday. People of the affected areas were instructed not to handle the dead crows without gloves. They were also instructed to bury the dead crows by digging deep holes so that the disease cannot spread to more areas," said Dr Premananda Rout, chief district veterinary officer (CDVO) of Jagatsinghpur on Monday.
"The panic is caused by the simple fact that crows tend to hover over human settlements and stay in close contact with humans. Recently many crows have died due to the deadly bird flu disease or H5N1 virus in areas of Jharkhand, bordering Odisha," Rout said.
A two member team of Animal Disease Research Laboratory (ADRL), under the leadership of Dr Chita Ranhan Swain, the project director of ADRL, and Dr Jagadish Mohanty, collected samples of 10 dead crows in Paradip on Monday, which will be sent to Bhopal's Indian Veterinary Research Institute to ascertain the cause of the crows' largescale death, Rout said. "It is very difficult to comment on reasons behind the deaths till we receive a detailed report, expected in a week's time. We are taking suitable measures and seeking views of experts about the deaths of crows," he said.
"Crows are scavengers. The authority is not taking steps to protect the scavengers. Crows are a rarity now," said Sudhanshu Parida, president of the district unit of Peoples For Animal. He demanded that the scavenger be included in the schedule of protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act and the government take steps to protect crows, which may soon become extinct due to the negligent attitude of the forest and animal husbandry departments.
Parida pointed out crows offer many services to mankind. "They are scavengers who clean up pathogens from garbage near homes, protecting children and elderly who have less immunity," he said.
He also mentioned a religious connection with the bird, which he said plays a vital role in Hindu funerals. "Crows during obsequies (shraddh) are offered a portion of food, an act supposed to benefit the departed soul," Parida informed.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Mass-crow-death-in-Paradip-triggers-panic/articleshow/11261104.cms
KENDRAPADA: Death of many crows in the port town of Paradip on Sunday and Monday has triggered panic among residents, who have been advised by forest and veterinary officials not to touch the carcasses.
"Around 50 crows died in Paradip on Sunday and Monday. People of the affected areas were instructed not to handle the dead crows without gloves. They were also instructed to bury the dead crows by digging deep holes so that the disease cannot spread to more areas," said Dr Premananda Rout, chief district veterinary officer (CDVO) of Jagatsinghpur on Monday.
"The panic is caused by the simple fact that crows tend to hover over human settlements and stay in close contact with humans. Recently many crows have died due to the deadly bird flu disease or H5N1 virus in areas of Jharkhand, bordering Odisha," Rout said.
A two member team of Animal Disease Research Laboratory (ADRL), under the leadership of Dr Chita Ranhan Swain, the project director of ADRL, and Dr Jagadish Mohanty, collected samples of 10 dead crows in Paradip on Monday, which will be sent to Bhopal's Indian Veterinary Research Institute to ascertain the cause of the crows' largescale death, Rout said. "It is very difficult to comment on reasons behind the deaths till we receive a detailed report, expected in a week's time. We are taking suitable measures and seeking views of experts about the deaths of crows," he said.
"Crows are scavengers. The authority is not taking steps to protect the scavengers. Crows are a rarity now," said Sudhanshu Parida, president of the district unit of Peoples For Animal. He demanded that the scavenger be included in the schedule of protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act and the government take steps to protect crows, which may soon become extinct due to the negligent attitude of the forest and animal husbandry departments.
Parida pointed out crows offer many services to mankind. "They are scavengers who clean up pathogens from garbage near homes, protecting children and elderly who have less immunity," he said.
He also mentioned a religious connection with the bird, which he said plays a vital role in Hindu funerals. "Crows during obsequies (shraddh) are offered a portion of food, an act supposed to benefit the departed soul," Parida informed.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Mass-crow-death-in-Paradip-triggers-panic/articleshow/11261104.cms
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