From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: The Assam forest department has lodged an FIR at Chaygaon police station in connection with the death of about ten vultures near Bamunigaon in Kamrup district on Thursday night.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Saturday, DFO of Kamrup West Forest Division said that at least ten vultures have died after scavenging on a carcass of a cow suspected to have been poisoned at a site near Bamunigaon. “At this point, nothing can be confirmed to ascertain the causes of the ten vulture deaths as the veterinary officials, who have conducted a post-mortem, are yet to submit the report. There were more vultures near the carcass that had reportedly flown away. However, one vulture has been taken to the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre at Rani for rehabilitation,” Goswami said.
It is, however, suspected that the vultures could have died of scavenging on a poisoned carcass.
Asked about the steps taken by the department to prevent such an occurrence, he said an FIR has been lodged at Chaygaon police station and that an investigation into the incident would soon be conducted.
“People need to be aware against any such malpractice that may cause harm to species such as these. We have also told the villagers of the area to convene a meeting in the presence of panchayat members and village officials to make people aware and, thereby prevent such incidents in future,” the DFO said.