Suhail Rather

Bandipora, Nov 12 (KNS): As migratory birds start arriving in Kashmir’s wetlands Asia's second largest freshwater lake 'Wular' have witnessed mass deaths of domestic Geese on its banks which has caused panic among bird lovers and fishermen community whose livelihood depends on it.

Residents while speaking with the Kashmir News Service, said that from last week, hundreds of Geese locally known as  'Anz' in the Kashmiri language have been found dead in Wular Lake.

"I have around 200 Goose on which my livelihood depends. We usually sell it in winter but this year the mass deaths of these are causing panic in all of us," a local fisherman from Saderkot payeen said.

He appealed to authorities to take samples from the area and find the root cause of increasing infections in the Goose population in the lake.

Another resident of Bandipora Advocate Mudasir while speaking with the KNS said that it is concerning the incident in Wular Lake and added authorities need to act immediately on this as this season is the time when migratory birds start arriving at Wular Lake.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

He shared, that the condition of Wular Lake is worsening day by day. "Wular, which is known as Asia's second largest freshwater lake, is no longer fresh now. The people lived on its banks earlier using its water for drinking but now it is not even safe to touch."

"Around 200 domestic geese have been found dead at various places in Wular Lake. Our teams have collected samples, the report is yet to come for that if anything is worried about it we will take immediate steps to control the infection," an official from conservation management said.

Meanwhile, a team from the Animal husbandry department Bandipora also visited the spot and found Ranikhet's disease in his initial findings. (KNS)