Aquatic birds poisoned to death in Tungabhadra backwaters

BALLARI: Hundreds of aquatic birds were poisoned to death by some miscreants to protect fish in the backwaters of the Tungabhadra dam in Haragibommanahalli of Vijayanagar district.

About ten species of aquatic birds including the brown headed gull, Indian river tern, whisker head turn, Garganey ducks, some of which fly from other countries, have been poisoned.

The poisoning came to light after an autopsy of the dead birds was conducted by the Animal Husbandry Department. The birds were killed to save the fish for fishing activities, some locals alleged.