Bird Deaths in Pong Dam Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh

Recently, around 1700 birds were found dead in the Pong Dam Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh. The cause of the death of birds is still unknown. After this, all tourism activities have been suspended in the sanctuary.

Key Points

• The mysterious death of birds has left the authorities worried and has raised concerns for the possibility of a disease.
• Most of the deaths were reported in the Guglada and Jagmoli areas of Dhameta and Nagrota Surian forest beats.
• As per the officials, 95% of the birds that are found dead are Bar Headed Geese.
• Bar Headed Geese are said to migrate to the area from Mongolia and Siberia.
• The Himachal Pradesh Forest Department has launched flu surveillance in the wetland.
• Samples from the carcass of the birds have been sent for testing at the Bhopal’s High-Security Animal Disease Laboratory to find out the cause of death.
• An order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 has been issued by the Kangra District Magistrate prohibiting any human or domestic livestock activity in 1 km of the Pong Dam reservoir. A further area of 9 km around the reservoir is under observation.
• The area has been declared as an Alert Zone.

After the mysterious death of birds in the Pong Dam Sanctuary, Punjab’s Harike Pattan wetland is also on alert.

Pong Dam Sanctuary

Pong Dam Reservoir is a wetland located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It was created in the year 1975 due to a dam built across the Beas River. It was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1983 and is a Ramsar site.