Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 6: A shocking discovery in Dombivli (West) has stirred concern among residents after a birder found 107 dead Grey Francolins (titar) near the creek in the Saptapul area of Motagaon. The unusually high number of fatalities prompted forest officials to launch an urgent investigation and send samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, to rule out infections or poisoning.

The incident surfaced when bird expert Dr. Raju Kasambe received word about numerous bird carcasses at the site. After visiting the location and confirming the situation, he alerted the forest department. Given the possibility of avian flu or other viral diseases, forest personnel followed strict safety protocols—using gloves, protective gear, and sealed containers while handling the bodies.

A team from the Kalyan forest department conducted a panchnama and collected the carcasses for examination. The birds were initially taken to the Thane Veterinary Centre, but preliminary checks by veterinarians could not determine the cause of death. With concerns of a potential contagious disease, the samples have now been forwarded to NIV Pune for advanced testing to identify whether flu, infection, or poisoning was responsible.

Kasambe noted that Grey Francolins are rarely spotted in Dombivli, making the incident even more puzzling. He suggested that the pattern in which the birds were found points to the likelihood that they died elsewhere and were later dumped at the creek. He urged authorities to carry out a detailed probe to uncover what led to the mass deaths.

Kalyan range forest officer Nilesh Akhade confirmed the dispatch of samples to NIV and said the team is awaiting definitive laboratory results. He added that early observations do indicate the possibility of the birds being transported to the site post-mortem, though no conclusions can be drawn until scientific evidence is available.

Meanwhile, the forest department has stepped up surveillance in the surrounding areas and has appealed to citizens to immediately report any unusual bird deaths to help prevent potential risks to wildlife and public health.