42 ibexes died of viral disease in Kirthar, PA told

Karachi

The Sindh Assembly was informed on Tuesday that 42 ibexes at the Kirthar National Park in Jamshoro district died of peste des petits ruminant (PPR), a contagious disease also known as goat plague.

In his written reply to a question asked by Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmaker Kamran Akhtar, wildlife minister Gayan Chand Essrani said if needed cases of infected ibexes would also be referred to the Central Veterinary Laboratory Tandojam, the National Veterinary Laboratory Islamabad or abroad for detailed tests and expert opinion on adopting appropriate measures.

PPR is characterised by fever, sores in the mouth, diarrhoea, and pneumonia, and sometimes results in the animal’s death.

The wildlife minister did not mention when the ibex deaths had occurred.

He said initial clinical and pathological services were being arranged for the infected ibexes.

To MQM lawmaker Shiraz Waheed’s query, the minister said his department had objected to the construction of the Right Bank Outfall Drain, which had stopped fresh water supply to Haleji Lake, a wildlife sanctuary.

The provincial minister informed the legislators that his department had taken prompt action against the offenders involved in illegal sale of peacocks and deer in Nangarparkar in accordance with the Sindh Wildlife Ordinance, 1972.