Locals rescue hurt flamingos, 1 dies

Mumbai: A flamingo died on Friday after sustaining injuries in an attack by poachers. Of the two injured flamingos rescued by locals near Sewri creek, one bird which sustained pellet wounds on its wings and leg died, while the other is being treated at the Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA).

Flocks of flamingo visit Sewri jetty, drawing huge crowds of Mumbaikars who throng the place for a glimpse of these exotic birds that migrate every year to the city from Kutch.

However, the sad part is that similar such incidents of poaching and hitting the birds using catapults have been on the rise. Lt. Col Dr J.C. Khanna, chief executive officer in charge, BSPCA, said, “Of the two flamingos we rescued, one succumbed to injuries on Friday while the other has pellet wounds on its wing and is serious. We are treating it.”

“These injuries appear to have been inflicted by people while grabbing the birds and injuring them using catapult. These persons wanted to kill the birds,” he said.

Of the two rescued flamingos, the one that died was in a state of shock with serious injuries to its wings and leg while the other sustained an injury to its knee joint and is recuperating.

The deceased flamingo had its femur bone broken at several points and its vital wing bone broken too. Prima facie, the probable cause of death appeared to be a long struggle between the poachers and the birds.