Reported by Farhana Ahmed
North Lakhimpur: Four White-rumped vultures were found dead in Dhakuakhana sub-district of Assam’s Lakhimpur district, in what is suspected to be a case of poisoning linked to a contaminated cattle carcass.
The birds were recovered over a three-day period between May 1 and May 3 from No.1 Bantow Gaon in Dhakuakhana.
According to Pure Environment for Wildlife, a Dhakuakhana-based conservation NGO, the vultures are believed to have fed on a cattle carcass that had Furadon administered on it in an attempt to kill stray dogs. The pesticide is suspected to have caused the deaths of the scavenging birds.
The NGO said the incident has raised serious concerns over the use of toxic substances in animal carcass disposal, which can have unintended consequences on scavenger species.
In a related development, two Himalayan Griffon vultures and two White-rumped Vultures, which were also affected, were released after treatment by veterinarian Rupam Gogoi.