QUARANTINED: The kites kept under observation at the Kollam District Veterinary Centre.

KOLLAM: A large number of scavenger kites found dead or in a droopy state at different areas of the city for the past three days has triggered a scare in Kollam.

District coordinator of the Animal Disease Control Project K.K. Thomas told The Hindu that since Wednesday 11 such cases had been reported in the city.

"A possibility that poisoning could have caused the development is not being ruled out. With the alert on bird flu still in force, the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) cannot ignore the problem, Dr. Thomas said.

The development is being witnessed only within the city limits but at different areas.

The first such case was reported from Anandawalleshwaram on Wednesday.

Of the 11 cases reported, four kites were found dead. Three found in a droopy state had been quarantined at the District Veterinary Centre and the remaining died after being in a droopy state for some time.

Common symptoms

The common symptoms were that these kites were unable to fly and their necks hung down. The condition of the kite found on Wednesday had improved considerably and it had started taking food, Dr. Thomas said.

The post-mortem examination of one of the birds revealed that it had contracted the bacterial infection pasturellosis.

Serum samples of the dead kites had been rushed to the Animal Disease Diagnostic Centre in Bhopal for H5N1 avian influenza virus tests. Samples had also been sent to the Avian Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Thiruvalla for related tests.

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