Kite hanging mid-air saved after 90-minute ordeal

BENGALURU: It was around 3.15pm on Tuesday. A huge

crowd

gathered on Rest House Crescent, off MG Road, all eyes set on a

black kite

hanging mid-air some 60ft above.


The bird’s wing had got entangled with a

Chinese manja

(an abrasive string) that hung across some trees. While it struggled to to free itself from the thread, the knot only got messier.

Good Samaritans from the crowd tried rescuing the bird, but in vain. In fact, some people atop the roof of an adjacent building even managed to get their hands on the other end of the thread, but that brought little relief to the bird. Bystanders, meanwhile, alerted the fire brigade, which rushed a rescue van to the spot. The firemen had a tough time reaching the bird as it was at least 10ft away from a tree that was closest to it.

Meanwhile, Veerababu CH, 38, a volunteer with Avian and Reptile Rehabilitation Centre (ARRC), an NGO, arrived at the scene. Veerababu had a quick chat with the firemen and said the best way to reach the bird was to climb the tree. The firemen placed a ladder to help Veerababu reach a certain height on the tree. But that’s wasn’t enough. Veerababu, who had put on a harness, had to jump twice to reach the upper branches. He then used a long pole with a hook at its edge to reach the bird. He then carefully reached the thread, tugged at it and brought the bird down. The

kite

was handed over to another volunteer, who rushed it to the rescue centre.

Veerababu, who is from Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, has been part of avian and reptile rescue operations for three years now. “This particular operation was a challenging one as it was tough to reach the bird. We didn’t have proper space to place the ladder. Ultimately, it was a team effort,” he said.

The rescue operation ended around 4.45pm. Volunteers said the bird is over a year old and is expected to recover within a week, after which it’ll released in the same habitat. Black kites are medium-sized brown raptors commonly found in cities.

Pragathi K, a private firm employee, who was among the hundreds cheering Veerababu, appreciated the calmness he showed through the mission. “We were all holding our breath when he was pulling the thread. But he did it so delicately, even though he had little balance,” said Pragathi.

Fire office Krishna Swamy and his team lauded Veerababu for his daring act. “Though Chinese manja — used to fly kites — is banned in the state, the fact that birds continue to get stuck shows their use is rampant. On average, we get 10 rescue calls every week where kites, crows and other birds get stuck in these strings hanging across trees and rooftops,” he added.

Jayanthi Kallam, co-founder and executive director, ARRC, cautioned public not to indulge in rescue acts and seek expert help whenever they see a bird in distress. “We appreciate public concern, but unscientific rescue attempts can pose threat to a bird’s life. This is a breeding season for kites, when they are busy building nests and tend to get entangled in these deadly threads,” she added.