Investigation Launched Into Wastewater Leakage Following Mass Stork Die-Off in Ararat Region

In the past week, the community has raised alarms about the mass die-off of storks in the village of Hovtashen in the Ararat region, attributed to the birds being covered in oily feathers, which prevented them from flying and ultimately led to their deaths, reports EcoLur.

Employees from the Inspection Body transported one affected stork with oily feathers from the Hovtashen community to the Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology of the National Academy of Sciences. It was revealed that this individual was completely coated with a thick layer of dirt and dust. Lyuba Balyan from the Scientific Center communicated this via her social media page.

“About 80% of the bird's plumage, particularly the upper coverts, head, and neck, and to a lesser extent the flight feathers, were coated with oil-based material, followed by dust. The individual was relatively healthy and lively, but due to the entanglement of its feathers and the accumulation of dust, followed by the formation of a hard layer, it could not fly. An external examination of the feathers showed that the substance was not technical oil but rather food-grade oil made from plant or animal sources used in food production,” she stated.

It was also found that nearly 70% of the storks in Hovtashen were in the same condition. This situation can be classified as an ecological disaster. It is essential to urgently identify which enterprise is responsible for this leakage and hold them criminally accountable.

Currently, the Environmental and Mining Inspection Body has conducted sampling of the Hrazdan River and groundwater surrounding the Hovtashen community in the Ararat region to determine the level of water pollution. As reported on the inspection's Facebook page, investigations are also being carried out regarding wastewater leaking from operating entities in the area.