Making it difficult for them to fly, the lethal combination of cold and pollution in the National Capital has taken its toll on birds. Avian hospitals in the city these days are busy treating 15-20 birds being brought with the complaints of paralysis every day.
“Paralysis in birds has become common now. Everyday the hospital admits 15 to 20 birds affected with paralysis,” said Sunil Jain, honorary secretary, Birds Charity Hospital, Chandni Chowk.
The hospital which specialises in treating birds with different ailments is now treating birds which are apparently the victims of cold and pollution, he added.
“See, there are three basic reasons behind their pathetic condition. First, there is a lot of pollution in the air, second, the temperature is falling drastically, and third, the weather is not up to the mark making it difficult for them to survive,” he said.
Wasim Akram, manager, Special Projects of Wildlife SOS, Delhi, said that because of the winter season and pollution, there is a problem of low visibility confronted by the avian population due to which they face survival issues.
According to Jain, while the hospital treats a variety of birds throughout the year, the birds which are coming now are mostly pigeons as they are the ones without any proper shelter.
“Most of the birds that we are treating these days are the rescued ones and pet birds being brought by their owners are relatively fewer in number. We are treating mostly pigeons these days; they are homeless,” said Jain.
Shockingly, the number of paralysed birds in the hospital has risen alarmingly since October this year because of rising pollution levels and the advent of winters, Jain said further.
The story is not different in other areas as well, said Wasim Akram as Wildlife SOS rescues a number of birds from across the city during winter months.
As per data provided by Wildlife SOS, the NGO rescued 71 birds of different species in October and 54 birds of different varieties in November. In December so far, the NGO has rescued 53 birds of different varieties already.
“Wildlife SOS has a 24-hour helpline which receives regular calls for birds in distress and in need of medical attention. In the month of October and November alone, we have rescued over 100 birds of various kinds,” Akram said. The calls increase during winter months, he added.
This year, the NGO rescued pigeons, kites, owls and peacocks in the winter months, Akram said. Recalling special cases he said, “We are not sure if it was due to cold or pollution but we in the recent past rescued a kingfisher, barn owl and an Indian eagle owl in bad condition.”
Apart from paralysis, the birds in this weather become vulnerable also to serious respiratory and digestive problems, added other veterinarians.
Nevertheless, some birds coming with paralysis are kept in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), others are discharged after proper medication, Jain said. Owners are given prescriptions and recommendations after which the pet birds are discharged from the hospital, he added.