Thane: The medical check-up of the 79 birds rescued from
Mumbra has revealed that none of them are fit to be released into the wild yet. The birds that were rescued by the Thane forest department last week are suffering from fatigue.
The medical tests were conducted on Friday by city-based NGO Wildlife Welfare Association, which was also part of the raid conducted by the forest department and Mumbra police of a pet store in Amrut Nagar. The birds were protected under the schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act.
From the plum headed parakeet and the scaly breasted munia to the purple swamphen and even the migratory ruddy shellduck, these rescued birds, which were kept in a shabby condition in cages on the footpath outside the shop were placed into the care of the Wildlife Welfare Association on Tuesday. In the official medical check-up conducted by the veterinary officer of the Thane civic body three days later, it was found that none of the birds were healthy enough to be released into the wild.
“While the birds look slightly better, they are still exhausted. Being captured and kept in cages in this heat has resulted in a few of them going into a shock. The heat has added to their
weakness. While they do not require medication, they need to be quarantined for a week or two till they gain enough energy to fend for themselves,” said Dr Kshama Shirodkar, civic veterinary officer.
“While it is difficult to get a hold of algae and water seeds that the ducks feed on, we have been soaking other palatable grains that they had been feeding on at the pet store. We are also feeding the other birds various grains according to their dietary needs, and will keep doing so till they become fit,” added Aditya Patil, president, of Wildlife Welfare Association.