Bhubaneswar: More than 100 dead birds were found in Sorona jetty under Tangi police limits in the district Sunday morning. The dead birds include a large number of migratory species.
The birds were recovered during a raid conducted by a team of Forest department officials of Tangi. The hunters managed to flee from the spot, while two motorcycles belonging to them have been seized by the forest officials.
Sorana is infamous for bird hunting and rampant such instances in the past have resulted in the death of rare and migratory species of the winged guests.
The bird meat is sold at exorbitant prices in the local markets as well as neighbouring states. Meanwhile, the bodies have been kept at the Tangi forest office and will be sent for post mortem, said sources.
According to this year’s bird census conducted at Kanjia Lake at Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) here and Kolab reservoir in Koraput district, Odisha hosted less number of winged guests this winter.
The census indicated that the number of avian species visiting the Kanjia Lake has come down from 2,514 of 29 species in 2018 to 2,468 birds of 28 species this year. Migratory birds like Indian Skimmer skipped the water body, while eight new species picked it for their winter sojourn.
Meanwhile, in Chilika bird count had rise in this year’s census which is 10,47,968 with 181 species. Last year it was 8,93,390 of 147 species.
The Forest department on Sunday morning began the annual census of birds at Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district and Hirakud reservoir in Sambalpur district, simultaneously.
Along with the bird census, the annual census of the estuarine crocodiles also began at Bhitarkanika.
