First govt Wild Bird Rescue Centre to come up at Delhi’s Rajokri, awaits go-ahead

Among cities, Delhi is considered to have the second highest bird population in the world — after Nairobi in Kenya, with more than 450 species.

The Delhi forest department has proposed to come up with its first Wild Bird Rescue Centre at Rajokri where injured birds found in the national capital would be kept for treatment and then released.

The sarus crane is the tallest flying bird in the world, and was declared the official state bird of Uttar Pradesh in 2014. (Burhaan Kinu/HT archive)

Among cities, Delhi is considered to have the second highest bird population in the world — after Nairobi in Kenya, with more than 450 species. Even though around 500 species of birds have been recorded in the national capital in the last 100 years, at least 30 of these could not be spotted since 1970s.

“Even though there are a few such rescue centres in Delhi, they are all run by private bodies. There is no government rescue centre, and a proposal has been sent to set one up in Rajokri,” Ishwar Singh, principal chief conservator of forest who heads the forest department, said.

The decision has already been passed by the Ridge Management Board and is now with the Supreme Court-appointed committee. The committee will send it to the SC, after which a call will be taken. Initially, two areas were proposed for the rescue centre – Rajokri and Tughlaqabad – but the forest department later zeroed down on Rajokri, on the recommendations of the Bombay Natural History Museum.

The monkey rehab centre is spread over 1.2 acres and the building on the premises has two rooms which could be turned into a clinic for injured birds. There is also a water body which could be used to keep injured water birds such as pelicans and cranes.

“There are two large cages which were used to house monkeys. These could also be used for keeping smaller birds under observation before being released,” the official said.

The department is reeling under acute staff-shortage, which was proving to be a major impediment for work. It got a shot in the arm after the government sanctioned funds to fill up at least 242 vacancies.

“This is a welcome move. Delhi has a wide variety of birds but there are hardly any aviaries and rescue centres for wild birds. We need more such centres,” Pankaj Gupta, a birder from the Delhi Bird Foundation, said.