Mysterious bird deaths trigger bird flu fears in Karnataka’s Koppal

New Delhi: The mysterious deaths of several birds in Karnataka’s Koppal district have sparked concerns among residents over a possible outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu), prompting calls for an immediate investigation by the authorities.

For the past three months, thousands of egrets had nested in trees behind the Koppal City Municipal Council office, where they laid eggs and bred. However, over the last week, dozens of birds have reportedly died every day, while many others have become too weak to fly and are seen falling from the trees.

The unexplained deaths have alarmed local residents, particularly as the district is already facing drought-like conditions due to a prolonged lack of rainfall. Many fear that the sudden deaths could be linked to bird flu, although no official confirmation has been made.

Residents have criticised the municipal authorities and the Animal Husbandry Department for allegedly failing to inspect the site despite the continuing bird deaths. They claim no officials have collected blood or tissue samples from the dead birds for laboratory testing to determine the cause of the deaths.

The incident has drawn further criticism because the affected trees are located directly behind the municipal council office, yet no immediate action has reportedly been taken. Locals also alleged that officials cited other commitments when informed about the situation.

With Koppal district home to a large number of poultry farms, residents have urged the Health Department, Animal Husbandry Department and municipal authorities to conduct an urgent inspection and laboratory analysis to rule out bird flu and prevent any potential risk to public health and the poultry industry.

As of now, authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of the bird deaths, and there is no confirmation that the incident is linked to avian influenza.