Vandals have set fire to the Stroke Island bird sanctuary at Palameenmadu in Batticaloa on Tuesday morning.
This island situated between the sea and the lagoon is an attractive tourist attraction. Tourist visiting the Lighthouse hire boats to visit the Stroke Island surrounding the lagoon.
The fire had destroyed the nets, eggs and the fledglings. Fishermen together with officials of the Coast Conservation Department, the municipal fire brigade and the Palameenmadu Police doused the fire. The Stroke Island is home to migratory birds that flock in November and December.