Palapitta in peril as poachers cage Telangana’s State bird during festivities

Despite repeated warnings, poaching and rituals during Dasara have endangered Telangana’s State bird, the Palapitta, as hundreds were caged or tied for display. NGOs rescued a few, but enforcement remains weak even as the species faces alarming population decline.

Sangareddy: Lack of effective effort from the forest department and the widespread belief that watching a Palapitta (Indian Roller) brings good luck has placed the beautiful bird in greater peril during Dasara, even as its population is already in alarming decline.

Despite repeated warnings, poachers kept the birds in cages at temples across the State where Jammi rituals were held. Hundreds of devotees posed for photographs with the birds, many of which were tied with ropes or confined in cages. Even residents of Tellapur, including the educated, were seen bringing the birds to display in their neighbourhoods.

---

When an NGO team attempted to rescue the bird, locals picked an argument with them and threatened to complain to higher officials and elected representatives if their festivities were disrupted. The NGO, however, managed to rescue one bird and handed it over to the forest department.

Some followers of political leaders also caught the birds to impress them, with the leaders later releasing them into the wild. Posting photographs or videos with Palapitta became a social media trend across Telangana, with images flooding WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and other platforms on Thursday.

The forest department’s anti-poaching squad, working with NGOs and department staff, managed to seize only 26 birds, 16 in Hyderabad and surrounding areas and 10 in Siddipet.

OSD to the Forest Department, Shankaran, told Telangana Today they were awaiting reports from other places and would initiate action against those who posted pictures online holding the birds.

As citizens continued to post images with Palapitta, it stood as evidence of both the failure of the forest department and the negligence of temple staff. Rescued birds were reportedly traumatised after days of captivity.

Although repeated reports have highlighted the sharp decline of Telangana’s State bird, serious conservation efforts remain absent.