Influenza-hit Pong wetlands host 40,570 bar-headed geese By Vishal Gulati ( IANS) | Published on Mon, Feb 8 2021 18:06 IST | 0 Views Influenza-hit Pong wetlands nests 40,570 bar-headed geese. Image Source: IANS News Shimla, Feb 8 : Despite the 307-square km Pong wetlands in Himachal Pradesh being hit by avian influenza this winter that led to the death of nearly 4,500 bar-headed geese, the largest hit species, they continue to have a sizeable congregation in their preferred wintering ground, wildlife officials said on Monday. An influx of 40,570 bar-headed geese, one of the world's highest-altitude fliers, was recorded in the Pong wetlands in the just concluded annual waterfowl estimation. Their numbers comprised 108,578 birds of 96 species, a slight fall from 2020.