India News | 12 Vulture Carcasses Found in Jalpaiguri District

Kolkata, Mar 27 (PTI) Twelve vulture carcasses were found at Mal in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district on Saturday, a top forest department official said.

The carcass of a stray cattle was also found at the spot, near Chel river, the official said.

Chief Wildlife Warden V K Yadav said preliminary findings indicate that the kidney of vultures got damaged due to high dose of diclofenac and similar drugs which is given to cattle.

"We are also looking into whether the carcass was poisoned. Samples have been collected and sent to the Vulture conservation and breeding centre at Rajabhatkhawa, Buxa Tiger Reserve," Yadav said.

The chief wildlife warden said the government has banned the use of diclofenac drug to cattle all over the country as well as in West Bengal.

"However, it's being used in villages by local quacks. We are doing a market survey and had discussed with the drug controller of West Bengal and written to Director, Animal Husbandry to stop the use of such drugs," he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)