by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore

Mysore, Feb 22:  Assistant Conservator of Forests (Bird Sanctuary at Ranganathittu), Prasanna Kumar told the media that there was no real threat of bird flu to the thousands of migratory birds at the sanctuary.

The place was normal in all respects and no need was felt to close it to the tourists, he said, although there were reports of incidence of the epidemic in neighbouring Maharashtra. He assured that the Forest Department was on high alert.

The authorities were keeping a close watch on the winged denizens at the sanctuary, particularly on their behaviour at different points of time, the official disclosed. However, there were no symptoms of bird flu at the place so far, he added.

Migratory birds carried the deadly virus of Avian Influenza. It was unlikely that birds would migrate to the sanctuary from North India passing through Maharashtra, he observed. In support of his statement, he disclosed that the birds had already laid eggs and hatching also had begun, thus giving no scope for the infection.

'Yet, as a precautionary measure, we have been examining birds and samples of bird droppings are being constantly examined since past many months because of scare in the past. None of them tested positive,' he said.

Poultry farmers with their establishments in a 10-km radius of Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary had also been made aware of the precautionary steps to be adopted in the backdrop of the outbreak of bird flu in the neighbouring Maharashtra State, Prasanna Kumar explained.

Sources in the Forest Department have also confirmed that none of the birds nesting at the sanctuary had symptoms of the disease.