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. PTI SUS
RG RG

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)