Timely intervention by locals helped to save a rare migratory bird that was shot at by a hunter on the city outskirts here.
The bird, redhead duck, was reportedly hit by pellets shotby the hunter. “We found the bird injured near HMT and took it to veterinaryhospital. The doctors operated upon the bird. It is stable now,” said BasitKhan, the youth who saved the bird.
The youth associated with an NGO Preserve Paradise JKL, hasappealed to residents living around wetland at Hokarsar to not allow anyone toharm the migratory birds.
The bird had pellet injuries, said Khan. The redhead, whichis a medium sized duck, starts to arrive in Kashmir in September and stay herefor six months. The male also has a black neck, a gray back and a white belly.The female is uniformly brown in color.
Khan said that he received warm response from officials whohailed his effort for saving the bird. “After the bird recovers fully, we willhandover it to authorities at Dachigam wildlife national park,” he said.
Wildlife warden wetlands Rouf Zargar refuted the allegationsthat hunters had shot the bird but assured that he would look into as how the birdwas hit by pellets.
“We have asked the person (Khan) to handover the bird todepartment so that best medical treatment can be given to it by our experts,”he added.