Day after, goose sighted at Sukhna Lake; raises eyebrows

Bipin Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 19

While experts from the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL), Jalandhar, and different departments of the UT Administration conducted a nine-hour operation for culling 110 domestic geese scientifically, a goose made its appearance in the Sukhna Lake this morning thus raising many eyebrows.

Wondering around the lake island in search of its mates, the goose was surfaced even after a team of experts today reviewed the culling operation that lasted till about 2 am.

The authorities of the UT Animal Husbandry and Wildlife Departments, however, expressed their ignorance on the appearance of the goose.The goose seemed to be a Chinese goose, which is a breed of domesticated goose descended from the wild swan goose.

While contacted Dr. Lovelesh Kant Gupta, Joint Director, Animal Husbandry Department, said, “We are not aware of the bird’s presence. The Wildlife Department officials must be aware of it.”

Santosh Kumar, Chief Wildlife Warden, however, claimed to have brought the goose’s presence to the notice of Dr Vinay Mohan, Joint Director of the RDDL, Jalandhar.

Dr Mohan said the bird seemed to be migratory one and was under observation.

Sources claimed that the goose, that had taken shelter somewhere in the remote area of the lake, appeared early this morning. The members of the rapid action teams could not locate the bird in the night.

The bird could not be culled today as all the personal protective equipment (PPE) kits used by the rapid action teams were destroyed after the culling operation. The Chief Wildlife Warden, however, claimed that the goose would be culled tomorrow as per the guidelines.