Here's how you can heal birds injured by kite manja post-Sankranti

Rescuers and veterinarians treat a bird at Shree Samik Yuvak Mandal

Last weekend was a busy one for bird rescue centres across Mumbai. Harshil Shah who is part of the organising committee of Shree Samkit Yuvak Mandal, Borivali (SSYMB) shares that this year the bird rescue team received over 1,200 calls for injured birds across Mumbai. Of these, 600 birds have been rescued and are under treatment, 125 birds died, and approximately 175 birds have been left with permanent injuries or are unable to fly. Comparing the numbers to previous years and noting a decline in calls for injured birds in the last five years - especially in 2021 and 2022 - this year, Shah shares that the numbers peaked since Makar Sankranti fell on a weekend.

Dr Malhar Joshi

Shah tells us, "Our purpose is to ensure the birds fly again. In summers, we get calls about dehydrated birds, and during monsoons, we tend to sick birds. During Makar Sankranti, kites are flown for a few hours but the manja remains stuck in trees for months. We get calls about injured birds even two to three months after the festival. Between January 12 to 20, the number of calls and intensity of injuries are high." The team once featured on The Kapil Sharma Show, urging viewers to call a central helpline if they spot injured birds. Based on the location, their team then relays
the information to various centres and NGOs.

Reach out

. Borivali and Dahisar
Shree Samkit Yuvak Mandal: 9324747555
. Kandivali
Save Birds: 8451899899 Malad West
Udaan: 8898101015
. Bhayander East
Jeevdaya group: 9321503820
. Borivali
Ahinsadham: 9726475555
. Mulund
Utkarsh Animal Hospital: 25676000
Thane outlet: 9889881089
. Main helpline (for Mumbai): 8655370005
(WhatsApp only)

Dos and Don'ts

Dr Malhar Joshi, owner of Joshi's Veterinary Clinic, Malad West, shares:
. Call a helpline at once. Don't force-feed water to the bird or sprinkle water on its face. It can choke up.
. Do not turn the bird on its back or upside down.
. Cover it with a towel and leave it in darkness. Let the bird relax so it can sustain itself till help arrives.
. Do not move the bird. If you need to move it to a centre, you can travel with it in a closed shoebox with room and holes for ventilation. Light and moving objects can put the bird in shock.
. Do not restrain the bird or handle it too much.