The federal and state forest departments do what they can, helped by activist groups with limited powers to make citizens’ arrests.Ī hint of the size of the bird release problem came on Decmewhen forest officers raided the Nakhas bird market in Lucknow, rescuing 739 birds of 15 species, including endangered black-necked cranes, hill mynas, and Lord Derby’s parakeets–and that was just one of thousands of similar locations.īird release was practiced at sun festivals by the ancient Egyptians, from whom some Brahmin Hindus believe they are descended. Tens of thousands of temple-goers meanwhile sought to “make merit” by purchasing wild-caught caged birds for ceremonial release, or by throwing out seeds and crumbs for birds in temple squares.Ĭapturing wild birds for sale and release has been illegal in India since the 1972 passage of the Wildlife Protection Act, but local police rarely make enforcement a priority. The Forest Department of Gujarat provided a vehicle and helped in creating awareness among the people, he added.AHMEDABAD - As many as a million kites soared aloft over Indian cities on Januas Hindus celebrated Makar Sankranti, the Day of the Sun.įestivals throughout India featured kite-fighting contests, in which flyers tried to saw through each other’s strings.Ĭelebrity kite-fighters included Sonia Gandhi, president of the ruling Cong-ress Party, and recently retired former prime minister and Bharatija Janata Party president Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who met in Jaipur.Įverywhere kites rose through the air space occupied by sidewalk and garden bird species such as sparrows and bulbuls, up past ringnecked parakeets and house crows patrolling at treetop height, on to baffle the kite-birds and vultures whose congregations, circling on thermal currents, are often the first sign that Indian airline pilots see of their destination cities, while the cities themselves are still beyond the horizon. Their individual bird handling record tripled in a week’s times.ĪHF had set up 12 injured bird collection centres from January 12-15 during the peak of festivities. ![]() He said veterinary experts coming from Zoological Society of London and Natural History Society had a unique experience in treating the injured birds. After sensing the gravity of the situation, its annual campaign, “Help the Birds” was launched in 2003. “Reports are still coming in of injured birds hanging up-side down from tree branches entangled in kite strings,” Mukherjee added.ĪHF has received more than 6000 birds since it began operations in 2001. However, injuries this year were so critical that 27% (over 170 birds) had to be euthanized. We are hopeful that 50 per cent of these will be able to fly again,” he added. “This is like a war like situation for us with one bird landing every five minutes. White-Rumped vulture ( Gyps bengalensis), Indian vulture ( Gyps indicus) and Slender-billed vulture ( Gyps tenuirostris) are three species which have been affected, listed by IUCN as critically endangered.Ī total of 189 vultures died between 2002-2006 and this year 10 vultures were rescued by AHF.Īccording to a vulture census by Kartik Shastri of Bird Conservation Society, only 137 birds were reported in Ahmedabad in 2006. Some of these birds are critically endangered criteria. Vultures, Kites, pigeons, dove, eagles, crows, sarus cranes and parakeets were among those injured by kite flying. International Kite Festival was also held on 11 January where 70 Indian and 74 international kite flyers from 21 countries participated at Sabramati river front, Ahmedabad. ![]() Last year kite flyers had used cotton thread where the injuries were less severe.Įvery year, this event starts from mid December and reaches its peak with the religious festival of “Makar Sankranti” on January 14 in many parts of north and western India. “The use of razor-sharp Chinese nylon thread and string coated with powdered glass led to whole wings of birds being cut off,” he said. Mukherjee is also a member of the IFAW Emergency Relief Network, run by its Indian partner, Wildlife Trust of India(WTI). Soham Mukherjee of the Animal Help Foundation (AHF) said. This year 639 severely wounded birds were rescued, up from 571 last year. Ahmedabad: Hundreds of birds die every year, including some rare species during the January kite-flying season in western Gujarat state making it one of the biggest man-made disasters in India.
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