Thousands of bird corpses cover a 200km2 wide lake

Rajasthan state authorities have yet to find the cause of 2,400 dead birds in India's largest inland lake.

The body of the bird fill the ground.(Photo: CNN).

Local residents saw dead bodies on November 10 along the shores of Sambhar salt lake in Rajasthan state in northwestern India, according to Arun Prasad, director of the state's Forest Conservation Agency. After receiving reports from the public, authorities estimated that more than 2,400 birds died, including 20 migratory birds that flock to the lake each year. Prasad said migratory birds often follow "Central Asia routes," through areas such as Siberia, Mongolia, Iran and Afghanistan.

The bodies of birds are scattered throughout a large area next to the lake with a total area of ​​up to 190km ² . Wildlife protection officials have not yet found the cause of the collective bird death. But it is likely that high salinity and alkalinity affect the birds, said Ashutosh Arora, senior officer at Rajasthan State Department of Livestock.

Ashok Sharma, co-director of the Center for Disease Diagnostics, said the specimen was taken for analysis at a laboratory in central Madhya Pradesh state . "At this time, we suspect there is toxicity and high salinity in the lake water. We will provide more details when accurate investigation results are available later this week."

Sambhar Lake is thought to be too salty for many species , but according to local tourism websites, this is a popular gathering place for flamingos, storks, marches, brown chops, black winged stilts, ginseng and ducks spoonbill. Authorities are not clear which species is affected. Environmental workers must collect the carcasses in a truck and bury them in a large pit. Prasad also denied the possibility of disease because local birds continued to feed in the nearby swampy and water.

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