Karwar, 18 Dec

Security agencies and forest officials have initiated an inquiry after a Chinese-made GPS tracking device was found attached to a seagull near the coastal belt of Karwar in Uttara Kannada district, close to a sensitive naval zone.

Officials, however, said that preliminary findings point to scientific research rather than espionage.

Confirming the discovery, the Police of Karwar Town said the incident came to light when residents on Wednesday noticed an unusually tagged seagull resting behind the Thimmakka Garden area near the beach. Finding the device suspicious, they alerted the Marine Wing of the Forest Department.

Forest officials who reached the spot safely captured the bird and examined the device.

The GPS tracker bore markings linked to the Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, indicating its use for academic and ecological studies.

"The tracker appears to have been fitted to study the movement, feeding patterns and migration routes of seagulls. At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest any espionage activity," the police said, adding that authorities are nevertheless exercising caution given the strategic importance of the coastal region.

The bird has been shifted to the Marine Forest Division office for observation. Officials are attempting to formally contact the concerned research institution to ascertain details of the study, including the origin, timeline and scope of the tracking programme.

This is not the first such incident in the region. In November last year, a war eagle fitted with a tracking device was spotted within the limits of Baithkol port in Karwar. That case was also found to be linked to wildlife research.

However, given the proximity of the INS Kadamba naval base, one of the Indian Navy's most strategic installations, the discovery has once again raised concerns about the possibility of sensitive data exposure under the guise of research.

"While wildlife tracking using GPS devices is a globally accepted scientific practice, the location where the bird was found makes it imperative for multiple agencies to verify all aspects," the police said.

Officials emphasised that further action will depend on responses received from the research body and technical analysis of the device's data transmission capabilities.