Mystery deaths of Geese raise concerns at Wular Lake

Bandipora, Nov 11: Hundreds of native geese, locally known as ‘Kashur Aenz’, were found dead along the banks of Wular Lake, South Asia’s largest freshwater lake, officials said on Monday.
The sudden deaths have sparked concerns among wildlife experts, conservationists, and officials in Jammu and Kashmir.
Locals said that they have been finding the lifeless bodies of native geese along the banks of Wular, particularly in the Suderkoot area, for the past several days.
Distressed by the sight, they alerted the concerned authorities.
“We have spotted these species dead at several spots around the lake over the past few days. It seems like there’s some disease affecting them, as we’ve never seen anything like this before,” said Abdul Aziz, a local.
District Animal Husbandry Officer, G.A. Lone confirmed that the deaths, initially thought to be caused by a local disease, prompted immediate sampling to rule out viral infections.
Lone noted that testing showed no signs of communicable diseases affecting migratory birds, which frequent Wular Lake during this season.
He added that a potential diagnosis of “RaniKhet” disease, known to affect domestic birds, is under investigation.
Meanwhile, officials have administered medication for local birds and have urgently requested vaccines to control the disease and prevent further spread among the lake’s bird population.
Notably, the migratory birds have started arriving in Kashmir, particularly around Wular Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the country. (KNO)