Nomad held for shooting down Openspill Stork

Chennai, Dec 1 (UNI) Forest officials have arrested a 26 year- old nomad for hunting a rare species of bird, Openspill Stork near Vandalur Zoo here.

Mr Ramadoss forest Ranger Tambaram told newsmen, that acting on a tip off, Mr Swami, the Tambaram forester and Mr Sigamani, the Vandalur forester made a surveillance in and around the zoo, and discovered that the nomad J Vijayan hailing from Arakonam had shot the bird dead with his country made gun.

The officials seized the dead bird and the weapon with live ammunition from him, he said.

He also pointed out that the bird was also an inhabitant of Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka by the name 'pilot bird'.

The birds used to visit Tambaram, Chengalpattu and Sriperumpudur areas every year in search of water and fly back home, he added.

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