Six oil-drenched spot-billed pelicans rescued from Ennore are under rehabilitation at Guindy National Park and will be tagged before being released back into the wild.
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Following an oil spill in Kosasthalaiyar in early December, several birds were adversely affected. A wildlife team comprising experts from Wildlife Trust of India, Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary, and the Forest Department have been assessing the effect of the spill and found about two dozen pelicans and painted storks to be heavily impacted.
Wildlife Warden E. Prasanth told The Hindu that the rescued pelicans are now feeding well. “We are planning to tag the birds. It will take them a while to get accustomed to it and then the release will take a month,” he said.
The wildlife team is also taking stock of the birds that flew to other parts of the city following the oil spill. These darker pelicans appeared in Pallikaranai, parts of the Adyar river, and Cooum in the first few days of December.
According to a member of the team, around 11 birds were spotted near Napier Bridge and the Adyar river last week but since then, they have not gathered in substantial numbers as they keep travelling back and forth to Ennore and other spots. The scattered presence makes rescuing difficult, he said. The team will continue bird rescue in Kosasthalaiyar for one more week.