In the light of recent outbreak of avian influenza in Manipur, specific steps have been suggested by the ministry of Environment and Forests to monitor the migratory birds. All Chief Wildlife Wardens have been requested to step up surveillance and monitoring of any possible emergency arising out of the arrival of migratory birds in their respective states.
Besides following the guidelines issued earlier to work in coordination with Ministry of Health, Department of Animal Husbandry and other departments, all the wardens are instructed to follow additional points:1. It should be ensured that wild birds are not harmed during trapping and collection of serum samples.
2. Preference should be given to the leg vein instead of wing vein. Wing vein blood collection are reported to result in hemorrhage affecting normal flight, making them susceptible to predators.
3. All wild bird samples are valuable and hence all collection of samples, packing and transport should be done in collaboration with trained animal husbandry/veterinary staff.
4. Awareness should be spread that any sighting of a dead bird by a volunteer, bird watcher etc should be reported to the nearest forest/animal husbandry office.
5. Important sites, both within and outside Protected Area which are being visited by migratory birds, their number and species of birds arrived and approximate period of arrival and stay should be reported to the Ministry.
Source-PIB
SRM/J
