Hyderabad: Forest department officials rescued a black kite on Saturday which was caught in a Chinese manja and was hanging about 50 feet above the ground from a tall tree near RP Road after trying for around an hour.
The bird had been hanging since a day and it was only on Saturday that someone called the forest department's toll free number and informed about the bird.
By Saturday the forest department and animal rights NGOs received around a dozen calls for rescuing birds entangled in the deadly Chinese manja made of nylon and powdered glass. Sahayog, an NGO, said that it had rescued 18 birds of which 16 were seriously injured.
However, as per forest department officials the numbers are expected to rise in the following days.
The Telangana government had issued an order banning Chinese manja but it came too late. By that time shops had already stocked up Chinese manja and it saw brisk sales even after the ban.
Pradeep Nair, a volunteer of Blue Cross said, “Even if a bird is rescued it becomes difficult to save it as it would have serious injuries. Emergency veterinary facilities available in the city for animals is not enough. The birds nursed back to life are forced to stay in cages for the rest of their lives.”
Humans also had a tough time with Chinese manja crisscrossing the roads in many parts of the city. Many people had a close shave with the sharp nylon thread hitting their necks and other body parts while driving.
