Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

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Bird by bird: Thar?s bedevilled peacocks dancing to their deaths

Up to 40 birds report­ed dead from myster­y malnut­rition diseas­e.

By Z Ali
Published: July 20, 2012


MITHI / HYDERABAD:

Thar?s peacocks are doing a dance unto death. In just over a week, as many as 40 of the birds are believed to have died of a nutritional deficiency that seems to have affected their nervous system. There are no physical symptoms except that they keep whirling before they collapse.

The number of deaths has been disputed by the Sindh wildlife department that puts the toll at six. It said three are suffering from an illness which doctors are describing as a metabolic disorder harming the brain.

?We did a survey yesterday and found five to six peacocks and 25 to 30 hens dead,? wildlife official Lajpat Maharaj told The Express Tribune.

The deaths have been reported from the villages of Bapuhar, Gullan Jattar and Hoti Jattar among others. A resident of Bapuhar, Anupo Bheel, said, however, that seven peacocks had perished in his village alone. Further caution was sounded by Dharumal Ambrani, a wildlife activist working for SCOPE, who believes that exact statistics cannot be obtained unless the wildlife department surveyed the entire of Thar.

More...
http://tribune.com.pk/story/410725/bird-by-bird-thars-bedevilled-peacocks-dancing-to-their-deaths/

 

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Re: India - Peacocks reported dead from mystery malnutrition disease in Thar

Re: India - Peacocks reported dead from mystery malnutrition disease in Thar

Disease kills peacocks in Thar

July 20, 2012 - Updated 1810 PKT
From Web Edition

HYDERABAD: A mysterious disease has killed over 24 peacocks over the course of three days in the Thar desert.

According to the wildlife department, the mysterious disease in the peacocks was discovered when 15 birds were killed in a village near Islamkot. Locals said after being infected by the disease, the eyes of the peacocks swell up and within 24 hours they die.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-59725-Disease-kills-peacocks-in-Thar

 

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Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert

Mysterious disease on peacock-killing spree in Sindh

18 hrs ago
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The disease has now spread to several villages. The samples of the disease-inflicted peacocks have been sent to Karachi. The channel said that about eight to 10 peacocks a day are reportedly dying in areas of Kehri and Islamkot union councils in Tharparkar district. Bharumal Amrani who works for preservation and protection of wildlife in Thar said the number of blue peacocks found only in India and Thar was dropping each day due to change in rainfall pattern, increase in human population and their anti-environment activities, illegal sale of eggs, smuggling and the practice of keeping birds as pets in bungalows and guesthouses in unfavorable conditions. He said the birds had fallen victim to the mysterious disease that attacked their throat in initial stages. The throat develops a small lump which grows bigger by the day until it bursts and a worm wriggles out of it. The bird first goes blind and then dies suddenly, he said....According to villagers, no Wildlife official had visited the area where peacocks are dying in such large number of the unidentified disease. According to former nazim of Kehri union council Dost Ali Wasepoto, scores of peacocks have died in Kehri, Paluro, Mohario and other villages.

Full text:
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/201...us-disease-on-peacock-killing-spree-in-sindh/

 

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Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert

Mysterious disease among peacocks couldn?t be controlled, more deaths reported from Thar villages

Posted about 11 hours ago

Mithi, Sindh, The mysterious disease among peacocks, found in abundance in Thar Desert of Sindh, which has caused death of a large number of birds, couldn t be controlled so far despite hectic efforts of wildlife department officials, as reports of more deaths are pouring in.

Some villagers from a nearby village Borli Moosepoto visited local press club on Wednesday and informed the journalists that around 15 to 20 peacocks have died in a month and many more are suffering from disease. Similarly, a peacock died in Mithi town and another at village Nathro.

According to villagers no official of wildlife department has so far visited their area. The newsmen immediately informed the officials who rushed to that area.

This way over 60 peacocks have died so far while according to local people of Thar Desert including NGO activists and media persons five to ten peacocks are perished daily by the disease. The number of dead birds could be high, as they live in bushes and trees away from human settlements, and are found perished only when the villagers go for collecting firewood.

More...
http://pakistan.onepakistan.com/new...-more-deaths-reported-from-thar-villages.html

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert

Thar?s dying peacocks: ?At least 15 days needed to contain the viral disease?
By Our Correspondents
Published: July 27, 2012

MITHI / HYDERABAD:
The veterinarians need at least 15 days to contain the viral disease which has claimed the lives of 10 more peacocks in Thar.
Tests have confirmed that the peacocks have indeed died from an outbreak of Ranikhet, or New Castle disease. Poultry development vets have been called from Sukkur and Hyderabad with medicines for the birds, according to Sindh Wildlife Minister Dayaram Esarani. He was talking to reporters at a press conference on Thursday. He said that camps have been set up in different talukas of Thar so that the veterinarians can reach sick peacocks immediately.
More than 50 peacocks have died in the past two weeks. The fresh fatalities occurred in Misri Babur, Babhanko, Khan Muhammad Lashari and Haji Hallu villages on Thursday.
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http://tribune.com.pk/story/413450/...-15-days-needed-to-contain-the-viral-disease/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Peacoks? disease: Death toll rises to 83
Posted on 2012-07-28 13:15:04



KARACHI: Tharparkar peacocks? viral disease called ?Ranikhet? has further spread over ten Tehsils, as 16 more peacocks died on the 20th day since this epidemic broke out raising the death toll to 83 thus far.

Following scores of deaths of peacocks in the rural areas of Mitthi by the mysterious disease turning into an epidemic spread over to Diplo and Nangarhar, where 16 more peacocks died in the villages, taking up the death toll to 83.
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http://www.thefrontierpost.com/news/5280/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Greater peacock virus toll feared next year
From the Newspaper | Faiza Ilyas | 7 hours ago

KARACHI, July 28: The aggressive pattern of the Newcastle disease virus over the last two years in Thar shows that the virus is likely to emerge in a more lethal form next year and there is a dire need for vaccination of captive birds against the disease across the province, especially in Karachi where a large number of people keep birds as pets, say experts at the government-run Sindh Poultry Vaccine Centre (SPVC), which is part of the Poultry Research Institute.
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?Research is still under way. However, the birds are responding positively to the vaccine being administered to them and that is for ?Mukteswar (NDV)? strain which caused a loss of Rs7 billion to commercial poultry in Punjab a few months ago. This is the most dangerous strain,? he explained.

?The other strain of Newcastle disease virus found in Pakistan is ?LaSota? while another strain ?Komarov? has been eradicated through vaccination in the past at national level,? he said, adding that the vaccine being given to affected birds effectively tackled both the prevailing strains.

He says that traces of ecoli and samonella bacteria were also found in the samples and this could be an indication of some infection.
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http://dawn.com/2012/07/29/greater-peacock-virus-toll-feared-next-year/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Geo Pakistan
Thar?s peacock disease spreads to other cities
July 29, 2012 - Updated 1438 PKT

BADIN: Ranikhet disease which has claimed the lives of at least 54 peacocks in Thar is now spreading to other cities and villages of Sindh.

Residents of Badin and Digri have reported that their pet peacocks have also been infected with the disease. As the disease continues to spread, there are not enough teams equipped with dealing with the outbreak. Three out of the four teams are operating with a specialist doctor.
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http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=61110

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Thar peacocks: Death toll rises to 120
Posted on 2012-07-30 14:19:34



KARACHI: There seems no end to peacocks dying in the Thar Desert, as 30 more struck by the epidemic disease called ?Ranikhet? perished, taking the toll to 120 during last 22 days, FP News Desk reported.

Denying media reports of such large number of peacocks falling prey to ?Ranikhet?, Wildlife department officials said that only 9 peacocks have died so far.
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http://www.thefrontierpost.com/news/5402/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Minister denies widespread deaths of peacocks in Thar
July 31, 2012 RECORDER REPORT
Sindh Wildlife Minister Dr Daya Ram Essarani Monday said that only 11 peacocks have perished by the viral disease since July 18. Addressing a press conference after holding meeting with officials of wildlife and animal husbandry departments at his office, he said media was highlighting exaggerated figures regarding the death of peacocks in Thar desert.
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http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/1222245/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

167 peacocks die in Pakistan
Pakistan,Indo-Pak/Pakistan,Environment/Wildlife, Wed, 01 Aug 2012IANS

Islamabad, Aug 1 (IANS) A total of 167 peacocks have died in Pakistan over the past three weeks.
The latest deaths due to a viral disease called Ranikhet killed five birds in the Tharparkar deserve in Sindh province, Geo News reported.
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http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2012/08/01/98--167-peacocks-die-in-Pakistan-.html

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Thursday, August 02, 2012

?Wildlife department incapable of eradicating viral attack?

KARACHI/MITHI/TANDO JAM: While the local people of Thar Desert have refuted official claims of over 6,000 ailing peacocks being vaccinated, a team of experts from Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam also described the provincial wildlife department as incapable to eradicate the viral disease known as ?Ranikhet? that has perished over 150 birds so far.

Only three teams consisting of officials of wildlife and animal husbandry departments are visiting the affected areas and distributing medicines among the villagers asking them to administer the same to the peacocks if found suffering from viral disease.

Wildlife Minister Dr Daya Ram Essarani had claimed Tuesday in an official handout that over 6,000 peacocks had so far been vaccinated, which contradicts his own statement in a press conference held in Karachi on Monday that access to thousands of peacocks is impossible, as their population is not concentrated at some particular area and they live in groups in wild bushes at scattered places.
...
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\08\02\story_2-8-2012_pg12_1

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Two more peacocks die in Tharparkar, toll mounts to 169
News
Agencies 22 min ago
KARACHI - Tall claims of the provincial government and the Livestock Department to have overcome rani khait disease fell flat as another two peacocks became victim to the terrible diseases on Thursday, raising the death toll to 169. According to sources in the Wildlife Department, despite presence of teams comprising veterinary experts and carrying medicines to cure the diseases, the problem has not been overcome.
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http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/201...eacocks-die-in-tharparkar-toll-mounts-to-169/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

7 more peacocks fall prey of Ranikhet, toll mounts to 180


KARACHI: Despite passage of about one month provincial government has not succeeded to overcome the ?Ranikhet? in peacocks in various areas of Tharparkar as seven more precious birds became victim of the dreadful disease raising overall death toll to 180.
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\08\04\story_4-8-2012_pg12_4

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Eight more Peacocks die in Tharparkar
August 05, 2012 - Updated 1130 PKT

KARACHI:
...

In the last 29 days the disease has killed at least 193 peacocks. On Sunday eight more peacocks were killed in separate villages of Tharparkar as teams struggle to treat the infected birds.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-62083-Eight-more-Peacocks-die-in-Tharparkar

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

30,000 peacocks vaccinated: only 38 birds killed by disease, PA informed

August 09, 2012 RECORDER REPORT
Sindh Wildlife Minister, Dr Daya Ram, refuted the claims appeared recently in news media over the killings of huge number of Thar peacocks, saying that there were only 38 birds perished due to the viral castle disease. Giving explanation on the Sindh Assembly floor on Wednesday, the minister said there an estimated 70,000 peacocks are in the province's wilds, of which 30, 000 have been vaccinated against the disease.

He said the wetlands in Tharparkar district have dried up because the weak monsoon season, as rains this year remained in dearth, which weakened ultimately the immune system of peacocks leaving them to expose to the Castle disease. Daya Ram informed the house that there is no vaccination to heal viral disease. However, the affects of the sickness could be scaled down. He said the WWF-Pakistan will evolve its independent report on the killings of peacocks in 10 days which the fund will handover to the department.
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http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/1225512/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

MITHI, Aug 13: Speakers at a seminar have expressed concern over death of more than 200 peacocks because of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in various villages during the past one month.

The seminar on ?Save Peacocks of Thar? was organised by the Megh Literary and Social Forum at the press club here on Monday.

Forum president Arbab Ehsan said that over 200 peacocks inflicted with NDV had perished last month in Thar, but the wildlife department could not take steps to save peacocks except for issuing formal press releases.
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Besides peacocks, scores of other birds were also ailing, he said.
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http://dawn.com/2012/08/14/concern-voiced-over-deaths-of-peacocks/

Move to protect Thar peafowl
From the Newspaper | 6 hours ago 0


KARACHI, Aug 13: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, presiding over a meeting on Monday to review efforts made to control an outbreak of the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), commonly known as ?Rani Khet?, among peafowl in Tharparkar district, ordered prompt efforts to protect peacocks from natural and manmade dangers.

At the meeting, attended by Sindh wildlife minister Dr Daya Ram, livestock minister Mir Abid Jatoi, agriculture minister Syed Ali Nawaz Shah Rizvi, the secretaries for livestock, agriculture and wildlife, the chief minister said peafowl was a beautiful bird of Sindh.

He also directed the livestock department to extend technical and professional expertise and support to the wildlife department to prevent an outbreak of the disease among the fowl in the Thar desert and the adjoining areas.

Wildlife secretary Mushtaque Ali Memon said there were about 70,000 peafowl in Tharparkar, Mithi, Nagarparker, Diplo and Chhachhro scattered over 33,000 hectares. The first unnatural death of a peafowl was reported on July 18. In 2011, 19 mortalities were reported. He said 44 peafowl had died and 34 reported sick. He said due to prompt efforts made by the wildlife department the situation was under control as vaccination of healthy population of peafowl had been undertaken.
...
http://dawn.com/2012/08/14/move-to-protect-thar-peafowl/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Report blames wildlife dept for peafowl deaths in Thar
From the Newspaper | Faiza Ilyas | 8 hours ago 0


KARACHI, Sept 1: Delayed action on the part of the Sindh wildlife department and absence of infection control measures are pointed out as major factors that contributed to the spread of the Newcastle disease in Mithi, Tharparkar district, in a report recently prepared by a non-governmental organisation.

The third party assessment report has been prepared on the government?s request by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P), which conducted a three-day survey (from Aug 6 to 8) of 50 villages in Chachra, Islamkot, Diplo and Mithi talukas.

The team comprising Saeed ul Islam and Umair Shahid, both working as natural resource management officers with the organisation, worked in coordination with the wildlife department.

It recorded death of 68 birds and found another 19 infected with the Newcastle disease virus while about 257 birds were recorded as ?roadside count?.

The team found it difficult to verify the claims of both the wildlife department (30 to 40 birds) and the media (over 200) on mortality. The report states that the death toll could be much higher or even lower than what was reported by the wildlife department and the media while reasoning that there were no dead specimen to substantiate the claims of the media and that, according to the report, could be because of the delay in finding, reporting and finally carrying out an exercise to look for the physical evidence.

?There is no doubt that a Newcastle outbreak of low intensity in the peafowl populations in Tharparkar district has spread.

Nevertheless, the high mortality of peafowl as reported in the media has not been observed in the area,? the report says.
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?The disease spread from a nearby village which is hardly two kilometres away from Bapuhar and called Bhattian Ji Veri. This village had the first reported death of a peacock and simultaneously all the poultry birds died in the village. This is a Muslim settlement that has poultry for domestic use,? it says.
...
http://dawn.com/2012/09/02/report-blames-wildlife-dept-for-peafowl-deaths-in-thar/

 

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Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Mysterious deaths: 10 peacocks drop dead in Tharpakar

By Sajid Bajeer
Published: April 9, 2013
MITHI:

Ten peacocks have died and several others are suffering from an unknown disease in Singalo village, Tharpakar. A number of birds died due to Ranikhet disease in Tharparkar last year and the residents of the village feel that the birds might be suffering from the same disease as the symptoms are similar.

?The members of the wildlife department have yet to visit the district,? said a resident, Muhammad Moosa Rahimoon...

More...
http://tribune.com.pk/story/532872/mysterious-deaths-10-peacocks-drop-dead-in-tharpakar/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Mysterious disease killing peacocks in Thar desert - Ranikhet (Newcastle disease) identified

Ranikhet leaves 8 peacocks dead

INP 16 hrs ago |
THARPARKAR - At least eight peacocks died in two days in various areas of Tharparkar due to Ranikhet, a contagious disease.
According to wildlife department sources, eight peacocks died of Newcastle disease, locally known as Ranikhet, while several others were also reported to be infected in Tehsil Daplipo of Tharparkar.
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- See more at: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/201...-leaves-8-peacocks-dead/#sthash.jZFYwTLJ.dpuf

8 more elegant birds dead but who cares!

June 10, 2013 INP 0
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Last year, whenNewcastledisease virus (NDV) killed more than 300 (as reported in the media, but villagers said the number was more than what was reported) peacocks in different parts of Tharparkar, villagers and civil society protested, but authorities did not take it seriously. This resulted in more deaths.
This was the apathy of the authorities which didn?t take steps to save the bird. Now eight more peacocks died and several others were suffering from disease in Tharparkar. The symptoms were similar to the disease reported last year.
...
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-n...-2013/8-more-elegant-birds-dead-but-who-cares