GREEN MINUTE NEWS:
Come Deepawali festival, urban wildlife including birds suffers the most. With the festival of lights being celebrated across the world, conservationists, environmentalists and animal welfare groups voice their concerns regarding the ill impacts of air and noise pollution due to fireworks and bursting of crackers.
The resultant impact from bursting firecrackers extends to certain wild denizens residing in our cities, and can affect them detrimentally. The last few days, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi & other cities have been witnessing bursting of high decibel bombs and the whizzing sound of various kinds of rockets, planes, etc in the city suburbs which is already facing high levels of AQI.
Snakes, birds like parrots, peacocks, bulbuls, munias, tits and monkeys, reptiles, & amphibians are badly impacted by the loud cracker bursts and fireworks.
HEAVY METAL & NITROGEN OXIDE RELEASED FROM CRACKERS
Speaking to Green Minute, Prasanna Kumar who has been involved in wildlife rescues in BBMP, Bengaluru says, “We are now getting 60-70 calls per day. In the recent days, we are able to attend only 15-20 cases per day. Most rescues has been pertaining to different types of snakes in the areas of Yelahanka, RR Nagar, JP Nagar and Chamrajpet. This is due to the heavy vibration caused due to bursting of crackers and varied snakes have entered inside the compound walls of houses.”
Fortunately, Bengalurians call us up and don’t kill the affected snakes unlike other cities in India. Presently, there are only seven people in eight zones of Bengaluru, BBMP involved in wildlife rescue.
SNAKE RESCUED IN BBMP AREAS OF BENGALURU CITY
“We need more equipment and manpower in BBMP areas for carrying out wildlife rescues in the 8 zones of the city and we appeal to Special Commissioner, BBMP Forest to take action,” Prasanna Kumar adds.
Lighting firecrackers during the festival of Diwali has numerous adverse impacts on the lives of wild animals. Bursting of crackers can cause birds suffering from burns and vision loss. Heavy metal and nitrogen oxide released from crackers into the air can lead to respiratory problems in birds. Unbearably loud noises can disorient the birds for which they may hit large buildings with glass facades or trees, and eventually meet their death.
On November 2nd, a black kite was rescued from the residence of the Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council, Basavaraj Horatti. Due to the bursting of crackers, the kite fell from a height and sustained injuries. Later, the BBMP wildlife rescue team rescued the bird and shifted it to the Bannerghatta rehabilitation centre. Such incidents will continue to occur for another week due to Diwali celebrations, the rescuers said. For the Kite to recover, it may take another week and after that it will be released in the wild.
BURSTING OF CRACKERS CAN CAUSE BURNS & VISION LOSS IN BIRDS
Many young birds are abandoned amid the chaos as birds who flee from their nests may not be able to return. Some animal species possess more sensitive auditory systems. The loud noise generated from firecrackers not only traumatizes them but can also lead to complete loss of hearing ability. One can see the domestic pets like cats and dogs hiding in a corner during the five days of festival unable to bear the sound and lights.
Given the adverse consequences loud firecrackers can have on humans, wild animals are much more negatively affected by their impact.
The impact is so much that even mammals such as monkeys, slender loris, etc are known to move away from an area where there is too much noise from crackers.
According to Baiju Raj M V Director, Conservation Projects, Wildlife SOS, the pollution in the air caused by the poisonous smoke coming from firecrackers is immense.
“As the smoke rises up, the birds flying are inhaling that first and are suffering from respiratory problems. Another downside of firecrackers is the secondary impact caused due to bursting of crackers that may lead to infections, injuries or secondary deaths due to mishaps.,” he adds.
Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO, Wildlife SOS expressed, “When human beings face discomfort from the smoke, noise or toxicity of firecrackers, they have the ability to express it. But wild animals have no way to communicate with us and let us know their plight. Hence it is of utmost importance that we celebrate Diwali with extreme care, and be mindful of our surroundings and the animals co-living in our environments.”
“A festival of lights and happiness should not be the cause of horror to other wild animals. Wildlife SOS operates 24×7 emergency rescue helplines in four regions,” says Geeta Seshamani, Co-founder and Secretary.
If you come across any wild animal in distress, do alert wildlife rescue teams or honorary district wildlife wardens or the BBMP wildlife rescuers from 8 zones of Bengaluru city.
You can contact the following:
- Bengaluru (Prasanna Kumar – 9902794711),
- PfA, Bengaluru (9900025370,9980339880),
- Mumbai ( RAWW – 7666680202) &
- Savior of Wildlife, Mumbai (9619142686),
- Delhi NCR, wildlife SoS (9871963535),
- Agra & Mathura in UP, wildlife SoS (9917109666),
- Vadodara, wildlife SoS (9825011117), and
- Jammu & Kashmir, wildlife SoS (7006692300, 9419778280).