PT Jyothi Datta

The irony could not be more stark, a bird born free, now isolated and caged.

The story narrated over several media and petitions to free the bird, begins with an injured Sarus crane, rescued and nursed back to health by a good samaritan.

A special bond develops between the two, the kind of inspiring stuff films are made on. Only a cold-heart would not be moved by the bird’s choice to visit its rescuer, when it could have flown away.

The bird returned of its free will, but there was a hitch. It is an endangered bird and that triggered the law and its enforcers. And in a heart-breaking turn of events, the bird was taken away and caged.

This story is not about humans deciding what’s good for the bird. The story is about the crane and its choice, when it was free.

Wildlife authorities should use this beautiful story of choice and bonding to educate people on living with nature and being kind to sentient creatures. Build on this story to educate society on what to do on coming across an injured animal, domestic or wild. Educate people to not buy or keep exotic birds and animals.

In fact, what better incident to sensitise people on rescuing wildlife and alerting the right authorities to step-in. Instead, the action taken is to cage the bird and book the rescuer.

Ever wondered why people hesitate to help an accident victim?

Wildlife authorities should be rooting for the crane’s freedom and not be involved with confining it, or any other animal.

They should work with the rescuer to keep this Sarus crane free and safe from miscreants; tag it, so it could be tracked if it continued visiting its rescuer or decided to fly away.

This is a bond that developed over a year, and it is the endangered crane’s choice. By not protecting its choice, humanity now stands endangered.

Published on April 16, 2023