HYDERABAD: Palapitta or the Indian Roller bird, which is the state bird of Telangana, is being sold for as little as Rs 50, with poachers in Hyderabad and different parts of the state exploiting the belief that sighting the bird during Dasara is considered good omen.
According to animal welfare organisations, the birds are captured at least a month before the festival, their legs tied, wings trimmed or stuck with glue to prevent them from flying.
P Teja of Humane Society International said, “The birds are usually starved till Dasara and kept in small cages for public viewing. Most of these birds die in captivity or immediately after being released. On the day of Dasara, many devotees pay to buy these birds from local markets and release them as a good deed which they believe will absolve them of their sins. They don’t realise that this ritual is actually killing hundreds of birds every year.”
The Indian Roller is protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which makes its capture, hunting and trade illegal. The penalty is Rs 25,000 or imprisonment.
Animal rescue volunteers and the forest department urged citizens to not support atrocities against the bird and report poachers and traders to authorities on round-the-clock helpline numbers: 1800-425-5364 or 040-23231440.
