Mongolian Crane Who Flew 2,766 Kms Dies After Eating Grains Laced With Pesticides In Rajasthan
A crane who had travelled from Mongolia to India and was expected to return was found dead in Rajasthan. Reports suggest it perished because of pesticides-laden grains that it had consumed en route his journey in India. The crane had managed to cover a distance of over 2766 kilometres from July to November last year but couldnt complete the journey back home.
In a tragic incident, a crane who had travelled from Mongolia to India and was expected to return was found dead in Rajasthan, a report in TOI said. Tagged as T-51 by scientists back home in Mongolia, the crane that was part of the flock of 400 demoiselle cranes, was found dead. The demoiselle crane is a species of crane found in central Eurasia, ranging from the Black Sea to Mongolia and North Eastern China.
T-51 passed away on January 9 and reports suggest it perished because of pesticides-laden grains that it had consumed en route his journey in India.
These pesticides that are banned in the US and Europe are easily available in India. The crane had managed to cover a distance of over 2,766 kilometres from July to November last year but couldn't complete the journey back home.
TOI
This is not the first time a case of animal death allegedly caused due to pesticide presence came to the fore. In October last year, post mortem report of a tigress that was found dead showed traces of poisonous pesticides in its stomach.
According to news agency IANS, the corpse of the tigress in question was found in a canal in Lakhimpur Kheri in July this year. But the reason of death could not be ascertained at the moment even as the forest officials looked around for all possible causes. There were no injury marks on the animal's body and it looked more or less healthy. The corpse of tigress was then sent to Indian Veterinary Research Institute, which is located in Bareilly.
The doctors preserved her viscera for further tests.
"The report suggested that parts of insecticides from organophosphate group was found in the viscera,¡± South Kheri Forest Department Officer Sameer Kumar was quoted as saying by IANS. He, however, refused to say anything further.
Earlier, IVRI Director RK Singh had confirmed submission of the report to the forest officer.
While some suspected that the tigress might had licked the grass containing pesticide, Sameer Kumar rubbished the theory saying pork was found in her stomach.
