Teams beefed up after stork with plastic ring in beak spotted time and again

Despite the best of efforts from the birder community, the endangered black-necked stork, whose life is at risk because of plastic ring in its beak, has not been successfully rescued so far. Emotions ran high as concerned birders relentlessly searched for the bird in last 6 days and that too without a success.

Now, as the plight of the endangered bird has spread to different parts of country, teams of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Forest Department have also joined birders to give best shot at rescuing the poor bird.

There was a huge hope when the rescue team was successful in spotting the bird near Najafgarh drain on Sunday. But, the excitement did not last long as the bird flew away from them. Although the bird is without food and water for 6 days, it still has the strength to fly.

The birders were having tough time catching the bird whose life is at risk. They were treading through the wetlands from West Delhi to Gurgaon in search of the bird. Different teams formed by birder community continuously searched for the bird in an area of 15 to 20 square kilometre from Najafgarh wetland to Basai wetland.

One of the birder with the rescue team, Pankaj Gupta, who posted about the bird in danger on Facebook on Friday shared, “Teams from BNHS, Forest Department and birders sighted the black-necked stork again on Monday.”

“The stork was seen attempting to drink water but could not do it because of the plastic ring which has stuck in its beak. As the bird still has the strength to fly, rescuing it is proving to be difficult. BNHS team comprises of a doctor and two bird trappers. Hopefully the stork will be rescued in a day or two,” said Gupta.

The rescue teams will again hit the ground on Tuesday morning with a livid hope to get hold of the black-necked stork and to save the life of the endangered bird.