Bird rescue group dealing with unusual number of injured swans

Thursday, August 16th 2018, 11:01 pm BDTThursday, August 16th 2018, 11:15 pm BDT

By: Chelsea Donovan, General Assignment Reporter

A local bird rescue group says it has received six injured swans in 30 days. The birds from southeastern North Carolina require constant care.

"It is very unusual for us to receive this many at a time with various injuries," said volunteer Amelia Nash with Skywatch Bird Rescue.

Two of the injured swans came from Landfall, one came from Leland and another from Myrtle Beach.

"Many have to be tube fed," Nash said. "There are various injuries to wings, one with a limp, and the small cygnet has what we call angel wing, where it was fed poorly when it was young so the wing did not grow outward. It now can't fly."

It is costing the New Hanover County rescue group about $200 a month per swan for the rehabilitation process.

"These swans are not native species," Nash said. "They came over long ago from Europe so they can survive, but they cannot thrive here."

Nash said people like to have swans as pets for decorative purposes in their ponds, but doing so can shorten their lifespan.

"People buy these for ornamental purposes, but these birds are so far from home, they can't survive," Nash said. "People think they are helping when they give them bread and corn — empty nutrients — but it really adds to their detriment."

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And the birds came tumbling after

When kites soar above Delhi in celebration of Independence Day, brothers Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad will spend the day in their makeshift office-turned-surgery, tending to the many birds injured because of this pastime.

What frustrates Saud is that Delhi has laws against activities that injure birds, a restriction that sadly exists only on paper during the August 15 festivities. Section 94 of the Delhi Police Act, 1978, states that “no person shall fly a kite or any other thing so as to cause danger, injury or alarm to person, animals or property”, points out the co-founder of charitable trust Wildlife Rescue. In addition, Saud says, Gujarat and Kerala have, in the past, banned the use of manja. However,these restrictions are not strictly enforced.

“From the August 10 to 20, we get 10 to 15 injured birds,” said Saud, which in man hours translates to about seven to eight hours of care extending late into the night and early in the morning.

Jain Temple Charity Birds Hospital manager Sunil Jain adds that through the years, bird injuries have only gone up during the kite-flying season. “With the introduction of Chinese manja, which is coated with plastic and nylon, the problem has only gotten worse.”

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Pelicans most at risk from fishing tackle injuries

1 hour ago

South Australia's recreational fishermen are more likely to snag pelicans than any other marine birds, who are often the victim of fishing line and hook entanglements, according to new research.

Fishermen are being warned to be more aware of the risks to seabirds and to report any injuries as soon as possible.

A study of 113 seabirds treated over a six-year period for 132 fishing-related injuries has been conducted by researchers from the University of Adelaide's School of Medical Sciences and the Australian Marine Wildlife Research and Rescue Organisation (AMWRRO).

They've found that, contrary to public belief, "live" tackle being used by fishermen is resulting in the bird injuries, not tackle that's been thrown away.

The results of the study are now published in the International Journal of Veterinary Health Science & Research.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-07-pelicans-fishing-tackle-injuries.html#jCp

Golfer injured in bird attack sues the county

WAILUKU - A golfer who says he was attacked by a large bird at the Waiehu Municipal Golf Course is suing Maui County, alleging the county was negligent in failing to remove the animal from the course.

According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in 2nd Circuit Court, Wailuku resident Ray Sakamura was attacked after teeing off on the second hole Jan. 26. He suffered substantial bodily injury, including a compression fracture of his L-4 vertebrae, the lawsuit says.

The animal that attacked him is described in the suit as a "large bird that had taken up residence" at the course pond.

Continued:  http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/564961/Golfer-injured-in-bird-attack-sues-the-county.html?nav=10