(14 Jan 2018) LEADIN:
An Indian aviary has been awarded a Guinness World record for having the largest number of different bird species in one place.
Talkative cockatoos, colourful parrots and affectionate sun parakeets are among the 2000 birds on show at the Shuka Vana or parrot park in India's southern Mysore city.
STORYLINE:
A white cockatoo greets visitors with a friendly "hello" at the Shuka Vana, or parrot park, near India's southern Mysore city.
It's just one of thousands of birds - from 468 species - who call this specially built aviary home.
Here, exotic breeds like parrots, sun parakeets, and macaws are looked after by Dr. Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji.
The Hindu spiritual leader is an avid bird lover and conservationist and is the driving force behind the aviary.
Sun parakeets, which flock to Swamiji at feeding time, are currently endangered in their native Latin America, facing a loss of habitat due to poaching by the pet trade, according to the IUCN.
Swamiji started a rehabilitation home for a few injured birds in 2012 and it has now grown to what it is today.
The more than 50-metre high walk-through aviary now covers more than one and a half acres.
"I visited many bird sanctuaries around the globe to understand their diet, special requirements and designed this uniquely for birds to live in controlled natural environment," Swamiji explains.
This paradise for exotic birds is also home to African grey parrots, lorikeets, Amazon parrots mostly from South America, Australasia, Solomon Islands and the Philippines.
They are fed a mix of fruits, sprouts, vegetables, nuts, sweet corn and sugarcane.
Over the years, the number of birds in the aviary has grown to over 2,000, including many rescued by Swamiji's followers across India and brought to Mysore.
Swamiji (also spelt swami, meaning a Hindu male religious teacher) uses his affinity with the birds to train many of the parrots to talk and interact with visitors.
"Parrots learn by mere listening. For instance, Veda (Hindu scriptures) students chant mantras, birds mimic mantras in similar rhythm and tune. Few learn from conversations of visitors," he says, adding that the birds are "quick learners."
In May, the parrot park made it into the Guinness World Records for having the largest number of bird species in an aviary - 468.
The place is popular with tourists and families bring children to educate them about the diversity of bird species and their place in the ecosystem.
Swamiji is also keen to create awareness about the need to protect the birds and conserve their natural habitat.
A. Krishnapillai, a visitor from the Southern Indian city of Chennai says the aviary allows people to see many endangered bird species.
"We have learnt in books only but we are not witnessed physically… only here only these endangered birds, maybe we have read some books (that) these birds are endangering in the world, we are unable to see those. But I don't know… this Guruji ( Swamiji's ) farm is very fantastic."
A medical rehabilitation centre within the complex treats sick and injured birds.
Newly arrived birds are initially kept in quarantine before being transferred to the park, explains animal medic Dr. Dasari Sri Lakshmi.
"We quarantine and observe them in case they have any of the diseases or any of the other problems. It is diagnosed, we have a diagnostic lab and other unit to diagnose it and after diagnosing it, the veterinarian would treat them properly and only after the treatment of bird is completed, only then we move them to the Shuka Vana proper aviary".
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
2 окт 2024
