LANGKAWI, Oct 20 — Approximately 80 house sparrows were found dead, believed to have been poisoned, at a residential area in Taman Wawasan Indah, Ulu Melaka near here over the past two days.

A resident, Shahrizan Saad, 39, said the dead sparrows were found on trees, house roofs and fences with yellow fluid oozing out from their mouths.

He said he started to find the birds’ carcasses around the residential area, which is located near a paddy field, at 6pm on Sunday.

Most of the birds were believed to have died after eating paddy seeds which were mixed with Furadan pesticides, he told reporters when met here today.

He believed that many more carcasses would be discovered because birds would naturally go to the paddy field to eat.

Bernama check found that Langkawi district Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) officers were at the location to monitor the situation and to take some samples for investigation.

However, according to Perhilitan assistant officer Mohd Nazri Amran, the house sparrow is not listed as protected species in the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and as such no action could be taken against the alleged perpetrator except advising them. — Bernama