NGO rescues 140 avians from Delhi's 'stressful' heat

Over 40 birds of prey and 70 pigeons were rescued as they fainted due to heat and dehydration, rescuers said

With scorching summer heat pushing several birds in the national capital into stressful conditions, an NGO said it has rescued around 140 birds suffering from exhaustion and dehydration since March.

Wildlife SOS, a conservation NGO established in 1995 with the objective of rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife in distress, said its members saved 120 birds, including 30 kites and more than 70 pigeons, in March and 20 black kites this month in Delhi-NCR.

“Rising temperature causes dehydration and heat exhaustion. Wildlife SOS has rescued numerous birds from such distress situations and provided necessary medical aid to the city's avian population,” the NGO said in a statement.

Earlier this week, its Rapid Response Unit rescued a black kite fledgling from a private garden in Chanakyapuri. “The young bird was unable to fly and was seen lying motionless on the ground. The excessive heat aggravated the situation and made its condition even more critical. Upon reaching the location, the Wildlife SOS team first provided drinking water and hydrated the bird, after which it was carefully transferred to a transit facility,” the NGO said.

The kite is currently under medical observation and will be released once declared fit by the Wildlife SOS veterinarians, it said.

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In another incident, a black kite was found caught in glass-coated nylon strings, popularly known as ‘manja’, hanging from a tree inside a residential complex in Sheikh Sarai Phase-I, south Delhi.

The bird was rescued through a collaborative effort of the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit and the Delhi Fire Service. It was suspected that the bird had been stuck there for two days and dehydrated, it said.

“We get a lot of calls for rescue of kites during the summer months. The rise in temperature makes birds sick and the major cause is dehydration due to heatstroke. Kites have a tendency to fly at higher altitudes and are more prone to excessive heat," Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS said.

“While descending in search of prey or water, they very often collapse on the ground due to exhaustion. Summer is a difficult season for birds and dehydration can turn fatal for them. That is why when we rescue birds from such stressful scenarios, the first thing we do is to provide them with water,” he said.

Commenting on the impact of weather on birds, Wasim Akram, Deputy Director-Special Projects, Wildlife SOS said, “With maximum temperatures reaching 42 degrees Celsius during the day, a large percentage of the avian population in Delhi-NCR is becoming a victim of dehydration, heat exhaustion and lack of shade.”

They are often found lying on the ground unconscious and some even suffer from heatstroke, which can lead to death if appropriate measures are not taken, he said.

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