Security agencies and forest officials have launched 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 on Wednesday, close to a sensitive naval zone.
Officials said preliminary findings suggest the device was part of a scientific research project rather than an espionage attempt.
Confirming the incident, Karwar Town Police said the matter came to light when local residents noticed an unusually tagged seagull resting behind the Thimmakka Garden area near the beach.
Suspecting the device, they alerted the Marine Wing of the Forest Department. Forest officials reached the spot, safely captured the bird and examined the equipment.
The GPS tracker bore markings linked to the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, pointing to 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, while adding that caution is being exercised due to the strategic importance of the coastal region.
The bird has been shifted to the Marine Forest Division office for observation. Authorities are trying to formally contact the concerned research institution to seek details about the study, including its origin, timeline and scope.
Technical analysis of the device and its data transmission capabilities is also being undertaken.
Officials noted that this was 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, which was later linked to wildlife research.
However, the proximity of the INS Kadamba naval base, one of the Indian Navy’s most strategic installations, has once again raised concerns over 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.
Further action, officials added, would depend on responses from the research body and the outcome of the technical assessment.