People across India are eagerly anticipating the next few days. The birds aren’t. 

A spectrum of colours in the form of kites is set to fill the skies as the country gears up to celebrate Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival that marks the end of winter and heralds spring. But the kaleidoscope in the skies eclipses numerous tragedies, as birds mid-flight bear the brunt of the nylon and Chinese manjha (cotton/nylon thread mixed with glue and powdered glass or similar abrasive) used for flying kites. 

The result in the skies is fractured wings, lacerations, and neck injuries. 

The result on the ground, among people, is injury to the hand tendon, throat, and even death. 

While bikers and pillion riders have come up with the idea of neck collars to protect themselves from the villainous string, the birds aren’t as savvy. But a Bengaluru-based NGO, People for Animals (PfA) Wildlife Hospital, has been stepping in with aid. 

Throughout the year, across the Vijayanagara and Kengeri areas of Bengaluru, you will see spot collection bins, not for funds, but for feathers. Elaborating on this, Colonel Dr Navaz Shariff, Chief Wildlife Veterinarian at PfA Wildlife Hospital, says the idea is to build a feather bank of sorts.

He shares, “Currently, we have feathers of 32 bird species. Boxes and posters are put up around parks, urging people to drop off any feathers that they find lying on the ground. Once we bring the feathers to the centre, they are segregated, cleaned, vacuumed, and stored exactly like one would store valuables.”

During Makar Sankranti, their use is rampant. This is when Shariff’s work becomes most urgent.

Shariff is a retired army officer who spent three decades in the Indian army before being posted at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (2014-2017) as Deputy Inspector General of Police (Veterinary) to set up the training infrastructure. Post-retirement, he dedicated his services to the PfA Wildlife Hospital.

Having spent decades tending to the 

© The Better India