Pong Dam sanctuary

Context: Over 1700 migratory birds in Himachal Pradesh's famous Pong Dam sanctuary were found dead under mysterious circumstances.

• 15 samples collected from various locations have been sent to Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Uttar Pradesh's Bareily, Northern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (NRDDL)in Jalandhar and High-Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal to determine to the case of death.
• Over 95 per cent of birds found dead are Bar Headed Geese who migrate from Siberia and Mongolia.
• According to an estimate migratory birds, a toatl of 1.15- 1.20 lakh birds migrate to Pong Dam bird sanctuary during winters every year and nest up to four months in the sanctuary.

Maharana Pratap Sagar or Pong Reservoir or Pong Dam Lake

• It was created in 1975, by building the highest earthfill dam in India on the Beas River in the wetland zone of the Siwalik Hills of the state of Himachal Pradesh.
• Named in the honour of Maharana Pratap (1540–1597), the reservoir or the lake is a well-known wildlife sanctuary and one of the 27 international wetland sites declared in India by the Ramsar Convention.
• The Pong Reservoir and Gobindsagar Reservoir are the two most important fishing reservoirs in the Himalayan foothills of Himachal Pradesh.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/over-1-700-migratory-birds-found-dead-under-mysterious-circumstances-at-pong-dam-sanctuary-in-himachal-1755501-2021-01-03