Nadeem Shehzad and Mohammad Saud, two brothers from Delhi, India, have spent the last 20 years saving thousands of birds from entanglement in kite strings, which can cause severe injuries and even death. The animal-loving duo has saved over 23,000 birds so far, and their work is far from over, per The Better India.
Their mission began in the 1990s when they were just teenagers, after coming across a kite that had suffered injuries from being trapped in a glass-coated kite string. These kites, called Chinese manjhas, are commonly used in competitive kite fighting in India, but unfortunately, they pose a significant danger to birds, causing them to lose their wings or die from their injuries.
But Shehzad told the Better India that many of the birds that manage to live still end up dying eventually from either being run over by vehicles, bleeding to death, or losing the ability to fly.
After finding the kite, the brothers immediately rushed it to a hospital, but each veterinarian they spoke to said they couldn't treat carnivorous birds. They unfortunately had to return the bird to the side of the road, but the duo makes up for it now by treating every bird that comes to their doorstep. They own a home-based veterinary clinic for injured birds out of their basement, and the operation has helped save thousands of birds so far.
But the path to owning a veterinary business wasn't an overnight success. The brothers spent several years after initially finding the kite picking up other birds and putting them in safe areas to keep them from being run over or choking. However, they still weren't able to find a veterinarian to help.
In 2003, the duo came across another kite and took it to a vet that their uncle had used, which finally turned into a success story. After that, they started taking every bird to the same vet.
"Over time, the number of birds increased to the extent that we needed to buy a cage. We released the birds on the rooftop during the day and put them in the cage after dark. Our neighbours appreciated our efforts and started pitching in to help," Nadeem said.
Between 2003 and 2010, the team rescued almost 400 birds, including egrets, hens, hawks, and owls. In 2010, they set up a non-governmental organization called Wildlife Rescue to better support their efforts. And their work is clearly needed, as they've now rescued nearly six times as many birds across 100 species.
"We cater to at least 40 species each year, and have 100 healing birds at our rooftop on any given day," Nadeem added.
In addition to scouring streets for injured kites, the pair also picks up birds from local hospitals in the area that were brought in by the fire department, police, and other officials.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
What would it take for you to get rid of your gas stove?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
I'd pay for it myself 💪 While the siblings don't have formal education in wildlife rescue, they have employed a part-time veterinarian and often visit the U.S. to learn more about their mission.
"Wildlife rescue is entirely different from biology, and there is no formal course in India that addresses it. The US is one of the most advanced places and is known for its commendable work in bird rescue. We learn new techniques and train ourselves with help from experts at various wildlife centres across the country," Saud explained.
Their reputation is such that they were the subject of a 2022 documentary produced by HBO:
Donations have poured in over the last five years to help with the brothers' expenses, but they say more financial help is needed to better serve all the birds that need rescuing. Their next plan is to build a full-service hospital for birds.
And while they are grateful to be in a position to rescue the feathered friends, they would rather more birds live out their lives without severe injuries.
"Injuries from the manjha cause immeasurable damage to birds. I hope people reduce kite flying and help bring down the number of incidents," Nadeem told the Better India.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
