Illegal Trapping of Birds in Uttara Kannada, Karnataka

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In November 2018, while walking across some fields in my village, Gundbala, in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, I was happy to see a lot of bird activity around my village. However, something caught my eye from afar, and when I ventured near I saw that there was a thin net spread across some shrubs/short trees along the dividing fence between adjoining paddy fields. It was thin and looked like a giant spider web, but really strong, with a female Plum-headed … Read More

Parakeets Attacking Monitor Lizard, Bharatpur

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I photographed this sequence of a pair of Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri) attacking a Monitor Lizard (Varanus bengalensis) in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

Parakeets use cavities in tree trunks to nest, and the parents diligently protect the eggs from predators, including snakes. Monitor lizards are egg thieves, and this one’s attempt to steal the parakeet’s eggs resulted in an aggressive attack by the parent birds. 

Monitor lizards are tropical reptiles that belong to the family Varanidae. Due to rampant … Read More

Vasant Vihar Parakeets

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She was like any other hawker, selling—persuasively, aggressively—extolling the qualities of her wares. Only she wasn’t ‘just another hawker’. Her wares were illegal; she was hawking parakeets, the trapping and trade of which is prohibited under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

I spotted the woman in Vasant Vihar (near Priya Cinema), Delhi, on my way to visit a very sick friend, and almost turned a blind eye. You know how it is, when the task at hand is overwhelming or … Read More

Seized Parakeets from Palamu, Jharkhand

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A consignment of over 350 illegally captured Rose-ringed and Plum-headed parakeet chicks was seized by the authorities of Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand. They were seized while in transit to markets.

The birds are typically captured during the nesting season in February-April and sold at a premium. Tribals capture the chicks from their nests in sal and other tall trees, and traders barter the chicks for as little as a kg of rice. They are then sold for about Rs. … Read More