Caged ‘Bird’ Urges Bhopal Residents to Let Birds Fly Free Ahead of Independence Day

Ahead of Independence Day (15 August), PETA India held a peaceful demonstration to promote the message that it is cruel to deny birds the freedom to fly. During this action, a volunteer posed as a caged bird next to a sign proclaiming, “Birds Don’t Belong in Cages. Let Them Fly Free.” 

In nature, birds engage in social activities, such as taking sand baths, playing hide-and-seek, dancing, building nests with their mates, and nurturing their young. But when they’re caged, these same vibrant animals become depressed and withdrawn. They often over-preen themselves to the point of mutilation. Some people force birds to endure wing-clipping so that they can’t fly away, yet flying is as natural and important to birds as walking is to humans. Birds are captured in nature, packed into small boxes, and shipped to be sold into captivity, and many suffer and die in transit, usually from broken wings or legs, dehydration, starvation, or stress. Those who survive face a bleak life in captivity, suffering from malnutrition, loneliness, depression, and stress. 

The Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972, bans the capture, hunting, and trading of indigenous birds, and non-compliance can result in imprisonment, a fine, or both. Endangered wildlife are also protected internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Non-native endangered species protected under CITES are also protected under Schedule IV of the WPA, 1972. In addition, the Supreme Court has held that the right of aerial birds to fly is protected under the Constitution of India and The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. Clipping birds’ feathers to ensure captivity and prevent flight amounts to mutilation and maiming, which are cognizable offences under the PCA Act as well as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 

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