Botulism killed birds in Sambhar Lake

The Indian Veterinary Research Institute of Bareilly in its report has confirmed Boutilism as the cause of mass mortality for birds at the Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan.

While revealing the report, the Rajasthan minister for Animal Husbandary Lal Chand Kataria said, "Indian veterinary Research Institute of Bareilly has detected avian botulism as the cause of mass deaths of birds including domestic as well as migratory birds. The report has confirmed the deaths due to botulism".

Minister said that so far the mesaures taken by the animal husbandry department are upto the mark. "We have so far treated 735 birds out of which 368 could be rescued. The veterinary doctors have been treating them on the lines of boutilism virus".

So far 18,000 birds have been killed in Sambhar Lake. However, wildlife experts suspect illegal salt mining activities in the area, 90km away from the state capital, to be the cause.