Ducks die in large numbers in Kuttanad

Mass death of ducks in Kuttanad has created panic among farmers. According to farmers, around 10,000 ducks died in the region in the past one week. Majority of the dead ducks belonged to two farmers in Thalavady and Pallippad.

Animal Husbandry Department officials said they had collected samples and sent them for testing. “The cause of death can only be ascertained after receiving the test results,” said an official.

‘Bacterial infection’

Although the exact cause of duck deaths is yet to be ascertained, officials said that a bacterial infection could be the reason.

In February, a large number of ducks had died at Pavukkaram, near Mannar, due to a bacterial infection. Samples examined at the Avian Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Thiruvalla then revealed that the ducks had been infected with Riemerella anatipestifer, an antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

In September 2018, a large number of ducks succumbed to bacterial infection in Upper Kuttanad. Then the duck deaths had been reported from the flood-hit areas. The dead ducks were infected since they were reared in contaminated waters.