Security agencies and forest officials have launched an inquiry after a Chinese-made GPS tracking device was found attached to a migratory seagull along the Karwar coastline in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district, close to a sensitive naval zone.

Authorities, however, said preliminary findings indicate the device was likely part of a scientific research project rather than an espionage attempt.

The incident came to light when local residents and the Coastal Marine Police Cell separately noticed an unusually tagged seagull resting near Rabindranath Tagore Beach and the Thimmakka Garden area along the Karwar coast earlier this week.

Finding the device suspicious, they alerted the Marine Wing of the Forest Department.

Forest officials who reached the spot safely captured the injured bird and examined the tracker, which included an electronic unit fitted with a small solar panel. The device also carried an email address with a message requesting that anyone who found the bird contact the provided ID.

Police said the GPS tracker bore markings and an email address 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, while adding that authorities are exercising caution given the strategic importance of the coastal region.

Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police Deepan MN said, “Several angles are being examined, including whether the bird was part of a scientific research project to study migratory patterns.”

The seagull has been shifted to the Marine Forest Division office for observation, and officials are attempting to formally contact the concerned research institution to ascertain details of the study, including its origin, timeline and scope. Authorities are also analysing the device’s data transmission capabilities.

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, a case that was later 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 said further action will depend on responses received from the research body and the outcome of the technical analysis.