Hundreds Of Bird Chicks Killed In Kerala After Tree Housing Their Nests Felled For Road Widening

In a tragic incident, hundreds of newly-hatched Indian Cormorant chicks were killed and numerous eggs and nests were destroyed when a tree was felled for the widening of a National Highway in Kerala.

The incident happened in VK Padi near Edavanna in Malappuram district on Thursday during the widening of National Highway 66.

One of the trees that were felled on Wednesday was hosting hundreds of Indian Cormorant nests, locally known as Neerkaka.

Wikimedia/ Representational Image

A scene of carnage

As the tree was brought down with a bulldozer hundreds of chicks including newly hatched ones fell to the ground killing them instantly.

A large number of nests and eggs were also destroyed in the mindless act.

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Though the Kerala Forest Department said that around 50 chicks have been killed, photos and videos posted online suggest that the number could be much higher.

"The Forest department officials owe us an answer on how this happened. The breeding season of these birds takes place between June and November and it is rather unfortunate that at the peak of the breeding season, this happened," the angry locals said.

Everybody need a house. How cruel we can become. Unknown location. pic.twitter.com/vV1dpM1xij

¡ª Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) September 2, 2022

Contractor booked by Forest Department

Following the outrage over the incident, Kerala Forest Department has initiated legal action against the contractor under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Indian Cormorants are listed under Schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act and are a protected species.

According to the Forest Department, the contractor was specifically directed that the tree should be felled only after the birds' nesting season.

Taking note of the incident, Kerala Public Works Minister PA Mohammed Riyas has also sought an explanation from the National Highway Authority of India officials.

Second incident since August

This is the second such incident being reported during the widening of National Highway 66 in Malappuram.

In August too a similar video had surfaced from Randathani, showing a huge tree that housed nests of hundreds of birds being brought down.

Need action against destruction of urban green in Kerala. NH66 RANDATHANI NATIONAL HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION KNRCL KOCHI PANVEL ROAD.#Kerala #urbangreen #ClimateEmergency #ClimateAction #ClimateCrisis pic.twitter.com/BZ2V2rimLW

¡ª mehebub sahana (@mehebubsahana) August 6, 2022

Most of the birds that were killed in Randathani were Herons, which are migratory birds.

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