Bird flu scare: Six rosy starlings found dead in Rajkot

Rajkot, Jan 25: As many as six rosy starlings were found dead at Jilla Garden, located on the bank of river Aji, in Rajkot city on Sunday, raising bird flu fears. It is reportedly said that the birds were found dead in the garden in the morning following which an animal husbandry department team rushed to the spot.

"By the time, we reached the spot, all the birds had died. We have sent samples of two birds to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, and handed over the carcasses of the remaining birds to the forest department," Dr KU Khanpara, the deputy director of animal husbandry, Rajkot district, said.

This is second incident of mass mortality of scheduled birds in Rakot district in recent weeks. On January 10, as many as 15 red-wattled lapwings were found dead on Bhadar riverbank at Shivrajgadh village in Gondal taluka.

"However, those lapwings had tested negative for bird flu. It is difficult to comment about the cause of deaths of the rosy starlings that were found dead in the city Sunday until reports of their tests are available," Dr Khanpara said.

Bird flu was confirmed in Gir Somnath Friday. The avian influenza was confirmed in Junagadh early this month.