OSAI

Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008, Coimbatore.

OSAI was alerted by scientists Joseph Reginald and Winny Peter from the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) about the man with birds. Our activists M. Ganesh, Vice-president and K.R. Karthikeyan, biologist caught a man on Brooke Bond Road in Coimbatore on Tuesday for selling birds that belong to the listed species. Thirty numbers of White Headed Babblers (Turdoides affinis), nine numbers of Large Grey Babblers (Turdoides malcolmi) and Shikra (Accipiter badius), were rescued from him. Shikra is a small bird of prey.

On examination, we found out the seller had applied gum on the bird feathers to prevent them from flying away. The OSAI activists and Tamil Nadu Forest officials cleaned the gum and released the birds into the Forest College compound.

A. Soundarrajan, Range Officer, seized the birds and took into custody Manian (50) of Koilpalayam near Coimbatore. Penal action was initiated against the person for capturing and selling such birds from the listed species under Wildlife protection act, 1972. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has instructed the field level officials to check out for people indulging in such trades.