Wanathawilluwa bird deaths not due to bird flu

By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe

Wildlife Veterinary Physician, Isuru Kottegoda said that the die-off of birds in a field in  Ralmaduwa, Wanathawilluwa has not been caused by  bird flu. The field is located close to the  Peraka zone bordering Wilpattu National Park.

The bio membranes of the birds showed no symptoms of bird flu, he added.

Nearly 1,000 birds were found dead in the last week in Ralmadulla field in Eluwankulama, Wanatawilluwa. These dead birds included small bird species such as house sparrow, munia, Gela Kalu Kurulla and Kirulalu Bim Ritta belonging to the same family.

He also said that probes had been launched to find whether these birds had died due to a bacterium or another virus. Samples of these dead birds were sent to the Department of Government Analyst to examine whether birds had consumed any poison, he added. Wildlife officers said that they could not confirm the closest causes of the deaths after observing the area.