With increasing urbanization and human activities encroaching upon natural habitats, wildlife species like black kites face numerous challenges for survival. Delhi Police and Wildlife SOS, a wildlife conservation NGO, teamed up to rescue two injured black kites in separate incidents in the city on Friday. The birds were found lying on the ground, unable to fly, and were taken to the NGO’s transit facility for treatment. They are expected to recover and be released soon.
The black kite is a medium-sized bird of prey that is widely distributed across India. It is an opportunistic hunter and scavenger that feeds on rodents, reptiles, fish, and garbage. It is also a social and vocal bird that forms large flocks and roosts.
Amit Kumar, Station House Officer, at Mandir Marg Police Station, revealed, “We were out on our patrolling duty when we spotted the kite lying on the ground helplessly. Hence we immediately informed the Wildlife SOS team to come and retrieve the bird.”
“Our association with the Delhi Police goes back over two decades. With the help of awareness and outreach, we have been able to achieve sensitisation about wild animals in the city. This kind of cooperation from the Delhi Police is a result of the awareness work done, and we thank the sympathetic officers who took the step of informing our team,” expressed Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO, of Wildlife SOS.
Current situation of Black Kites in India
However, the black kite faces many threats in the urban environment, such as habitat loss, electrocution, poisoning, collision with buildings and vehicles, and entanglement with kite strings. According to the IUCN Red List, the black kite population is decreasing and is classified as Least Concern, but some subspecies are more vulnerable than others.
Wildlife SOS has been working to rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned black kites and other wildlife in India for over two decades. The NGO also conducts awareness and outreach programs to educate the public about the importance of wildlife conservation and coexistence.
The Delhi Police has been a supportive partner of Wildlife SOS and has helped in many rescue operations involving wild animals in distress. The police officers have shown compassion and sensitivity towards the wildlife and have informed the NGO whenever they encounter a wild animal in need of help.
Wasim Akram, Deputy Director-Special Projects, Wildlife SOS said, “Black kites are birds of prey and a significant part of the food chain. Once active hunters, a large number of them now hover over garbage dumps. Expanding urban settlements have resulted in the decline of their original prey base, thereby modifying their diet. Another major challenge to black kites is when they find their flight path interrupted by large buildings and become prone to mid-air collisions.”
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