Over 600 mute swans died on Karakol Lake in Mangistau region

Mangistau region’s territorial inspection of forestry and wildlife has confirmed the fact of the deaths of 601 mute swans on Karakol Lake. Bird watchers are working to define the cause of the mass deaths of swans, Kazinform News Agency cites the administration of the region. 

Over 600 mute swans have died on Karakol Lake in Aktau since December 21, 2023. Information on the number of swans died is renewed on a daily basis, Gabbas Dossatov, head of Mangistau region’s territorial inspection of forestry and wildlife, said.

The first report on the deaths of swans on Karakol Lake was received December 21, 2023… As of January 6, 2024, the deaths of 601 mute swans were registered. Over 90% of the died swans are juvenile. Bird watchers have been invited from the Association for the Preservation of the Biodiversity of Kazakhstan to conduct additional studies, said Dossatov.

According to the preliminary analysis, the cause of the mass deaths among swans could be avian flu infections. The Asian strain H5N1 has been identified, head of Mangistau region’s territorial inspection of the Veterinary Control and Monitoring Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, Temirbek Nurtazin, said.

Last year, within the plan of veterinary preventive measures, six thousand heads of domestic poultry were vaccinated in the threatened areas. Regionwide, there are a total of three closed poultry farms. All of them resisted vaccination, said Nurtazin.

According to him, the region’s veterinary services are conducting daily monitoring of the epidemic situation among domestic poultry in private farms.

Environmentalists and competent specialists should find the source of the problem and take measures to prevent its spread. Bird watchers need to give clear recommendations on bird feeding, the region’s governor Nurlan Nogayev instructed.