Many birds get injured or killed as thousands take to the terraces to fly kites to celebrate Makar Sankranti on 14 January, marking the arrival of spring.
The manja used in kite-flying competitions is often coated with adhesive and powdered or finely crushed glass, metal, or other materials to make it sharp. It's an invisible killer and deadly for thousands of pigeons, crows, owls, endangered vultures, and other birds, who are often wounded or killed when they become entangled in the strings. It causes injuries mostly related to the wings, fractures and, worst of all, complete amputation of the wing. Raptors like Eagles, black kites & Hawks among others fly high in the sky and are known for their speed, maneuverability and diving landing approach. All such factors make them more vulnerable to fatal injuries due to kite string. Not only raptors or pigeons but sometimes, even migratory birds such as Heuglin's gull, demoiselle cranes, Dalmatian pelican, White Ibis, etc. also fall prey to these sharp kite strings.
The manjha kills, injures and many a times leaves birds handicapped for lifetime!
A bird rescuer in Ahmedabad estimated that 2,000 birds are injured in the city every year during Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti and approximately 500 of them die from their injuries.
Down, An injured Demoiselle Crane. Photograph: Sherwin Everett
Sharp manja is hazardous not only for birds but also for humans – including passers-by travelling on open vehicles such as bicycles, motorcycles, or scooters – and is responsible for numerous injuries and deaths of children and adults every year as per several past reports.
In February 2019, a motorcyclist died in the Timarpur area of North Delhi after his neck was slashed by sharp manja. In July, a 3-year-old girl died in South East Delhi after a stray piece of manja cut her uncle's neck, causing the motorcycle they were riding to crash. Last year (2020), chinese manja nearly killed a woman in Richmond town. It got entangled in her leg and sliced through the Achilles tendon of her foot that left her with a grievous injury that required emergency surgery. (The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in human body. It stretches from the bones of the heel to the calf muscles. When the calf muscles flex, the Achilles tendon pulls on the heel. This movement allows us to stand on our toes when walking, running, or jumping. Despite its strength, the Achilles tendon is also vulnerable to injury, due to its limited blood supply and the high tensions placed on it.)
Sharp manja also wreaks havoc on power lines. A single power line disruption can affect up to 10,000 people.
In 2013, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (then known as the Ministry of Environment and Forests) issued a notification urging the chief secretaries of all states and union territories to take appropriate action with regard to the use of manja, while the Animal Welfare Board of India – which operates under this ministry – has called for an outright ban on the deadly string.
In 2017, the National Green Tribunal banned the production, storage, sale, and use of nylon or synthetic threads popularly known as "Chinese manja" across India but excluded the cotton threads coated with glass popularly known as "Bareilly ka manja". However, the government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi went a step further and banned the production, storage, sale, and use of all forms of manja – including cotton threads coated with glass, metal, or any other sharp material – making these actions punishable offences under Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986. Violators could receive up to five years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, or both. And the Delhi government's notification authorises officers of the ranks of sub-inspector and above to take action against sellers and buyers of the banned string.
Unaware that sale of Chinese manja is a punishable offence that can attract a fines running into lakhs of rupees and even imprisonment, many sell plastic kites and synthetic manja.
What to do if you found an injured bird?
For the bird to have the best chance of recovery and release, you must contact a rehabilitator (a local ngo or a veterinarian) right away and transport the bird there immediately. Strictly follow the instructions of the wildlife rehabilitation center or vet. In most cases, the chances of the bird surviving and being released back to the wild are almost non-existent. Please resist the temptation to interfere unless the bird is clearly sick, orphaned or injured (eg, he or she has a broken wing or leg, is bleeding or is unconscious). Catching an injured bird can be difficult, and careless handling may cause further injury.
Protect yourself
Wear thick gloves. Even small birds can cause damage to your hands. Put on a thick pair of gloves before attempting to help the bird.
A fine-mesh net is often the easiest and safest way to catch a bird. For e.g. a Mosquito Net or a light cloth is very useful for capturing birds that will try to flee or fly. For smaller birds (try to stick with blue or green nets, avoid red, orange, pink). Nylon fishing nets with large holes are not suitable, as they will not hold a small bird, and risk injuring a larger birds or damaging its feathers.
Approach the bird from behind quietly and slowly, try to maneuver him into a corner or against a wall before gently throwing a net/light cloth on top of the bird and pick him or her up, making sure that you hold the wings close to his or her body. Gently cover the bird with the net, being careful not to crush the bird’s head, wings or legs with the loop. Hold the net flat against the ground and place one hand over the bird from the outside of the net. Raise the net with that hand, still holding the bird inside the net, and use your other hand to gently extract the bird from the net. Make sure its toes, beak and wings don’t get caught in the netting.
If the bird is flying well, but has an injury that you can see then in that case it may not be possible to catch the bird. Do not get into a situation in which you are chasing the bird with no possibility of catching him. That will accomplish nothing, and the bird may die of stress. Try to keep stray animals such as dogs/cats away from the injured bird until the help arrives.
Note: birds of prey, herons, and other birds with strong talons or spear-like beaks can cause serious injury if you do not wear protective gear and take necessary precautions.
Prepare a container
Medium-sized carrier, cardboard or plastic box with air holes can be used. A shoebox with air holes (for ventilation) in the lid, lined with a small cloth or paper towel (with no strings or loops) works for most birds. The box should be big enough for the bird. Do not squeeze the bird in a smaller box.
Put the bird in the box
Cover the bird with a light cloth and gently put it in the box with a lid/cover or in a crate. Keep the box away in a separate dark & quiet room (not air-conditioned) out of reach of children or pets until transport of the bird to a nearby animal clinic/ngo or until the help arrives. Do not handle it unnecessarily. Do not attempt to give it food or water. Leave the bird alone undisturbed. Remember human noise and touch are very stressful to wild birds. Birds go into shock very easily when injured, and often die from the shock.
Keep it warm
If the bird is cold, put one end of the shoebox on a towel placed over a lightly heated/warmed heating pad (set it on low) or hot water in a zip-top bag. If you use the heating pad, place it on the outside of the box at one end. If you use the zip-top bag, wrap it in cloth, and set it inside the box with the bird.You can also warm up a water bottle and wrap it with a towel to provide warmth. Make sure the bottle is secure and will not roll onto the bird. Otherwise, place a towel over the heating pad, and then set the box with the bird in it on top of the heating pad.
Then, arrange transport to an animal shelter or veterinarian asap – every second counts!
During transport, keep the bird in the well cushioned box or crate, keep the car quiet (radio/music off and avoid talking unnecessarily).
Wash your hands. Even with gloves on, it's important to wash your hands and arms after handling wildlife, as they can spread bacteria and disease.
Special precautions
Many people worry that birds of prey, such as owls, hawks, falcons and eagles, will bite them. While there’s a very small chance they will, and it can hurt, the real danger lies elsewhere. Raptors have incredibly powerful talons (claws) that they use to grip and kill their prey — and to defend themselves. Do not attempt to handle these birds without thick leather gloves and a thick towel or blanket to protect you from the talons.
Never attempt to handle a heron, loon or other bird with a long, spear-like beak without wearing eye protection. They will defend themselves by stabbing at your eyes, which can result in fatal injury. Wearing leather gloves and covering the bird with a thick, large towel or blanket to pick it up will further protect both of you from injury.
In many cases, a sick or injured bird will be too weak to struggle or defend itself. However, a bird in distress may lash out in panic. Please do not attempt to capture a potentially dangerous bird unless you understand and are willing to accept the risks.
Other useful tips for capturing birds
- Move calmly but deliberately
- Crouch if possible
- Approach from behind, but be mindful not to chase birds towards buildings.
- Act quickly. With the exception of young birds that are learning to fly, almost any wild bird that can be approached needs help.
- Do not wait to see if the bird will fly away. Even badly hurt birds will try to get away if they are in a vulnerable position. Just because they can still fly does not mean they don’t have severe internal injuries.
- Do not mistake helplessness for friendliness. Wild birds are naturally afraid of us (with the exception of young birds that have not yet learned to fear us), so if they appear docile, it’s usually because they have head trauma or another severe injury.
- Stress from excessive handling and noise can kill a bird. Please do not pet an injured bird, sing to it, let your children play with it, or let your dog sniff it. Just get it to a rehabber as quickly and as quietly as possible.
#saynotochinesemanja #banchinesemanja #spreadawareness
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