Saidpur bird hospital cheers animal lovers

With the objective of providing treatment and healthcare to injured and sick birds, a hospital has been set up on the Saidpur upazila parishad premises. 

The wildlife recovery and temporary caring centre, popularly known as bird hospital, drew attention of animal lovers. It is the brainchild of Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) SM Golam Kibria.

In April this year, the UNO set up the tin-shed centre having four cages where at least 12 injured or sick birds can be kept for treatment at a time.  

The UNO said “I joined here last year. I was so amazed to see earthen pitchers attached to tree branches on the upazila parishad premises as potential nesting sites for birds and came to know that the noble initiative was taken by hundreds of young members of ‘Setubandhan’, a voluntary organisation working for birds’ protection in the upazila for long.”

The youths regularly rescue injured and sick birds but they face problem in treating those in absence of a permanent hospital for birds, he said, adding that due to this, it took a number of days for the youths to cure the birds.

With the objective of providing treatment to those injured and sick birds, he set up the centre five months ago, said UNO Golam Kibria, adding that livestock department officials now visit it on a daily basis.

The members of Setubandhan only arrange food for the birds at the centre at their own cost, he said.

Alamgir Hossain, president of Setubandhan, said around 70 injured and sick birds, including five vultures, were treated at the centre in the last five months from April.

On Monday morning, an injured vulture was freed after giving it proper treatment at the centre for four days. The volunteers of Setubandhan released it in presence of the upazila parishad chairman, the UNO and other officials of the parishad. The volunteers rescued the injured vulture from Gorgram village in Sadar upazila.

 Upazila parishad chairman Moksedul Momin said in recognition of the success of the endeavour, Setubandhan received the government’s Bird Protection Award in 2016.

Local people also brought injured birds to the centre for treatment, said Masum Billah, secretary of Setubandhan.

Dr Md Rezaul Hasan, upazila livestock officer, said they are very happy to provide treatment to the injured birds in the centre.