Two injured cranes rescued

Gutsy youngsters carried out a risky operation to rescue two cranes that had fallen victim to kite string and were trapped in a tree. The trio had to work without any safety equipment as the fire brigade refused to help

Nihar Parulekar

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Two cranes who got caught in kite string lay struggling for life for nearly four days on a tree near Safilguda. It was by chance that a resident Irfan spotted the birds and alerted the Animal Rescue and Protection Force (ARPF) about their plight on Monday. By then, it was night and the rains had made any immediate rescue impossible.

At dawn, three young volunteers from ARPF — Vishwa Vikyath, Akhilesh Aleti and Sujith Borgamkar reached the spot. The birds were trapped on a tree that stood a good 50 ft tall. One bird could be seen stuck on a branch around 40 ft above the ground. Despite having no equipment, the team decided to climb the tree and rescue the birds.

Vishwa and Akhilesh started scaling the slippery tree as Sujith watched from below. At around 30 ft, they reported that another bird was stuck on a branch nearly 10 ft further up. The duo managed to get the first bird down, which was so tangled in kite string that it looked like a parcel at first.

The youths were stumped as to what to do about the second bird as the trunk was too slippery to climb. The volunteers decided to ask the fire brigade for help. After listening to their request, the person who answered the call said curtly, “We are for fire mishaps only. Birds are not our concern.” Disappointed, the volunteers arranged a rope and pulley system and carrying a long pole, continued the rescue mission.

By this time, hundreds of curious onlookers had gathered below the tree to watch the delicate operation of rescuing the injured bird. “It took four hours of strenuous effort,” said Vishwa later. Finally, the youngsters managed to bring the bird down and rushed both birds to Dr Dog clinic in Jubilee Hills. The vet spent an hour trying to untie the thread that was cutting into their flesh. First-aid was administered and the birds were given a painkiller shot. The birds are now recovering.

“Of all, the saddest part was the fire brigade’s attitude. They have the equipment, the manpower and skill, and yet they refused to help,” said Sujith.

£3.5mn - The amount spent by UK fire services to rescue trapped animals in the last three years, according to a UK news report. Trapped animals may be dangerous, and citizens may put themselves at risk during the rescue, which is why the fire brigade is called in.

(Nihar is the founder of ARPF)

Tags: Animal Rescue and Protection Force, cranes, featured, full-image, Nihar Parulekar

Category: City, City News