Rare falcon rescued and rewilded in Mumbai

Mumbai: In the current hot weather conditions, a severely dehydrated Shaheen Falcon, a sub species of Perigrene Falcon which is regarded among the fastest birds in the world, was rescued from Mulund on Tuesday by Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW).

The bird was rescued from a residential area on the periphery of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) within the jurisdiction of the Mumbai Range of the Thane Territorial Wing of the Forest Department.

The bird was initially found unconcious and was immediately given first aid by the team after which it regained conciousness and was active and alert. A team of vets from RAWW examined and observed the raptor for a couple of hours after which it was declared fit to be released back to wild.

The bird was released back to its natural habitat in coordination with the Forest Department and RAWW marking a quick rescue and rewilding exercise due to timely intervention and scientific approach.

“Many birds, including large falcons and eagles, can suffer due to the extreme summer heat waves. Hence, it is advisable for housing societies to keep water bowls on their terraces, so that many bird species can have access to water, and thereby hydrate themselves from any harm,” said Pawan Sharma of RAWW.