Call of the birds
ROHINI RAMAKRISHNAN
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Meet Bal Pandi, known as Paravai Manithan, to know more about birds and find out how you can protect them.
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Cute chick: In safe hands.
here’s nothing more satisfying
than to help a fledging that’s fighting for life. It’s common to see chicks fallen from the nest being abandoned by their parents. We rescue them and take care of them. The bird bonds with us and becomes a part of the family.”
So says Bal Pandi, who has been in the service of the bird sanctuary for 19 years. He was the guest of honour at the Police Boys’ Club, Korukkupet. The club members were interacting with the Police Boys’ club of Pulianthopu, for the first time and the programme was organised by The Nature Trust and Aide et Action.
True haven
So far he and his wife, Vallithai, have “brought up” 2,632 birds. Around 200 kg of fish is needed daily to feed them.
He smiles as he recollects “bringing up” a jackal cub. After three months, the villagers started protesting as the little jackal started to show its true nature — chicken mysteriously disappeared and fingers were pointed at the young jackal. Sadly, he left the three-month-old jackal 10 km away from the village but after three days, the cub was back. Next time he was left on a mountain top and he never returned.
People and animals
It’s strange how the scent of humans can put off wild animals, it was noted. The children who were gathered in the hall were told how when people come to collect eggs of birds for research, they take one egg from the nest of four, examine it and put it back. The parent birds promptly abandon the nest along with the eggs. The villagers of Koonthankulam, especially the kids, protect the nests and tell visitors not to touch the eggs. It was also discussed how when bears in the area collect honey from the hives, the bees return to build hives in the same place. But this never happens when humans collect honey. The kids who had visited Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary recently discussed their trip with the ‘Paravai Manithan” (Bird Man) as Bal Pandi is fondly called. He advised them to observe birds more carefully and note their habits.
That evening the kids of the Police Boys Clubs of Korrukupet and Pulianthopu had a brief glimpse how men and wildlife can live amicably and that the birds of Koonthankulam and the villagers enjoy a symbiotic relationship. The birds enjoy a new home, love and protection from the villagers while the villagers look upon the avian visitors as harbingers of good luck and their guano (excreta) enriches the agricultural fields and the water for irrigation.
Koonthankulam Bird Santuary is 20 km from Tirunelveli. It has a rain and river-fed freshwater tank. Around 25,000 birds visit during the migratory season which is from October/November to March.
Birds travel from Siberia, Nigeria, South East Asia, Europe and Gujarat. The excreta of the birds is a rich fertilizer.
Contact details: nestingbook.web.com
sukubird@yahoo.com
Bal Pandi : 9486205438
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