🕊️ Silent Skies Over Rajasthan: Avian Flu Claims Migratory Cranes

H5N1 Outbreak and Mysterious Deaths of Demoiselle Cranes in Jaisalmer, 2025

📉 Recent Bird Deaths Raise Alarms

Since January 11, 2025, the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan has reported the death of 33 Demoiselle cranes (locally known as Kurjan):

• 🗓️ First death: January 11
• 🗓️ Most recent: January 20
• 🦠 Linked to an outbreak of H5N1 and H591 avian flu strains

🦢 The Great Journey: Demoiselle Crane Migration

Every winter, Demoiselle cranes migrate over 4,000 km from:

China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan ➝ Rajasthan, India

📍 They settle for six months in traditional wintering sites like Lathi and Degaray Oran, making Jaisalmer their seasonal home.

This year, however, the birds face dual threats:

• Bird flu infections
• Collisions with electric wires

📘 Know the Demoiselle Crane

• 🌍 Native to Central Eurosiberia, from the Black Sea to Northeast China
• 🪹 Breeds in Turkey and migrates seasonally
• ✈️ One of the highest-flying migratory birds in the world

🔬 Testing and Confirmation

After 14 cranes mysteriously fell from the sky in Bankalsar village:

• Samples were sent to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases
• Confirmed infections: H5N1 and H591 avian influenza strains

⚠️ Environmentalists also suspect toxins or environmental stressors may be contributing.

🧪 Recurring Deaths: A Pattern Emerges

Demoiselle crane deaths in Jaisalmer have become an annual tragedy:

• 2022: 6 deaths
• 2023: 11 deaths
• 2024: 9 deaths
• 2025: 33 deaths (and counting)

🔍 Suspected causes:

• ☠️ Pesticide poisoning: Birds feeding on chickpea crops sprayed with chemicals
• 🌊 Toxic water: Temporary ponds from heavy rains may contain harmful elements

🛡️ Government Actions and Biosecurity Measures

🚨 Quick Response Teams (QRTs) from multiple departments are on the ground:

• Dead birds are safely buried with biosecurity protocols
• Chemical disinfection of affected areas
• Monitoring of nearby wetland ecosystems

🦤 A Threat to the Great Indian Bustard

⚠️ The outbreak threatens Rajasthan’s state bird, the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB).

• 🏞️ Breeding centers at Sam and Ramdevra have been closed
• ❌ Public entry restricted in affected zones
• 🧬 Monitoring is ongoing to prevent spillover to GIB habitats