75 rescued parakeets set free to mark Wild Animal Day

COIMBATORE: The forest department, along with the NGO Animal Rescuers, released 75 rescued parakeets at the Narasampathi Lake on Tuesday morning, to commemorate the World Animal Day and Widlife Week.
The city also played host to photography exhibitions on wildlife and nature as part of the celebrations.
Of the 75 parakeets released, 32 were female, 25 males and 18 were juvenile, all belonging to Rose Ringed species.The birds had been rescued from traders in Perur (49) and Tirupur (26).
"We rescued the parakeets from multiple traders and breeders," said a forest department official. "The birds were found with various injuries like their tail feathers and primary flight feathers being plucked out or cut, so that they don't fly away and many had their beaks clipped," said the official. After being rescued, the birds were treated for two months at the parakeet aviary by the forest department, said range officer C Dinesh Kumar.
According to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, holding, rearing or caging of parakeets as pets is an offence. People who come across parakeet being kept in captivity, should report it to the forest department.
"Many breed parakeets in such a way that it creates genetic mutations. So they take on colours like blue, grey, yellow and white and fetch a higher price," said Kumar.
The photography exhibition titled 'Uyir Nizhal 2016', was hosted by environmental organization Osai, showcased photographs of the extensive flora and fauna present in the Western Ghats. The exhibition had on display more than 3,000 photographs, of nature, birds and animals, clicked by well-known 40 photographers, including Rathna Varshini and Gaurav Ramnarayan. "The point of the exhibition is to showcase the rich diversity of the Western Ghats and its sheer beauty, so people are aware of the splendour and inspired to protect it," said Osai founder K Kalidasan.
The 13th edition of the annual photography exhibition and is on at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) till October 9.