Nine pariah kites found dead in Thiruvananthapuram zoo, authorities shocked

The initial results revealed that they died due to oral infection from contaminated food.

Update: 2019-02-26 20:24 GMT
Thiruvananthapuram Zoo (Photo: Kerala Tourism)

Thiruvananthapuram: A few days ago, the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo authorities were shocked to find nine pariah kites from outside dead on its premises.

Immediately they sent the samples of the dead birds to State Institute for Animal Diseases, Palode, and also to Avian Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Thiruvalla.

The initial results revealed that they died due to oral infection from contaminated food.

Every night, several dozens of pariah kites (Chakki Parunthu) and brahminy kites (Krishna Parunthu) flock to the green lung at the museum and zoo for roosting. During day time, they fly away seeking food from elsewhere. They have been leading a peaceful life, but a few days ago, one after another, nine pariah kites fell into the enclosures of the hyena, black buck and sambar deer.

The night watchmen immediately alerted the zoo veterinary staff. All the birds which succumbed were heavy and healthy looking which sent alarm bells among the zoo authorities.

They immediately sent the samples to SIAD and ADDL, which had completed the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) audit for histopathological diagnosis of Marek’s disease and isolation of pathogenic bacteria in poultry.

“Reports from the SIAD revealed that they had contracted bacterial infection where we believe that it must have consumed contaminated and stale food. The initial medical report from ADDL also gave the same results,” said Dr Jacob Alexander, senior veterinary surgeon.

Fortunately, the vet team could save one of the pariah kites. After a day of quarantining and appropriate medical treatment, its enclosure was kept open which helped the bird to fly away to freedom.

The zoo authorities feel that they might have consumed dead rats which would have been poisoned by humans.

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