The Manja Menace: 19 of 160 birds trapped in nylon manja die while 36 are permanently disabled
Volunteers of the Animal Warriors Conservation Society (AWCS), known for rescuing animals and birds across the State, found 17 different migrant birds trapped in Chinese manja at various places since January 1 when the season of Sankranthi kite-flying started
Sangareddy: Discarded Chinese manja continued to take a toll on birds with even migrant birds that arrive in Telangana during winter falling prey to the deadly threads.
Volunteers of the Animal Warriors Conservation Society (AWCS), known for rescuing animals and birds across the State, found 17 different migrant birds trapped in Chinese manja at various places since January 1 when the season of Sankranthi kite-flying started here.
During the last 29 days, AWCS volunteers rescued 160 bird species across Hyderabad and neighbouring districts. Out of the 160, 17 were migrant birds from various parts of the globe.
Of the 160 they rescued, 19 birds died while undergoing treatment at AWCS’s rehabilitation centre located at Bommanikunta near Patancheru while 36 of them were permanently disabled.
Native birds like pigeons, black kites, barn owls, egrets and crows were getting trapped quite frequently in discarded manja.
Speaking to Telangana Today, AWCS founder Pradeep Nair said they continued to get multiple calls for rescuing birds trapped in the manja. However, many birds they rescued would die since they were located long after they got injured.
Despite several educative programmes during the season, people continued to use the glass-coated manja causing a great loss to the avifaunal diversity of the State, he said, adding that more than 120 birds were being treated at the AWCS rehabilitation centre now.
These birds would be released into their habitat while the permanently disabled birds would be kept in the rehabilitation centre.
