Ahmedabad: Hundreds of birds die every year, including some rare species during the January kite-flying season in western Gujarat state making it one of the biggest man-made disasters in India.

This year 639 severely wounded birds were rescued, up from 571 last year. Soham Mukherjee of the Animal Help Foundation (AHF) said. Mukherjee is also a member of the IFAW Emergency Relief Network, run by its Indian partner, Wildlife Trust of India(WTI).

“The use of razor-sharp Chinese nylon thread and string coated with powdered glass led to  whole wings of birds being cut off,” he said. Last year kite flyers had used cotton thread where the injuries were less severe.

Every year, this event starts from mid December and reaches its peak with the religious festival of “Makar Sankranti” on January 14 in many parts of north and western India.

International Kite Festival was also held on 11 January where 70 Indian and 74 international kite flyers from 21 countries participated at Sabramati river front, Ahmedabad.

Vultures, Kites, pigeons, dove, eagles, crows, sarus cranes and parakeets were among those injured by kite flying. Some of these birds are critically endangered criteria.

White-Rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) and Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) are three species which have been affected, listed by IUCN as critically endangered.

A total of 189 vultures died between 2002-2006 and this year 10 vultures were rescued by AHF.

According to a vulture census by Kartik Shastri of Bird Conservation Society, only 137 birds were reported in Ahmedabad in 2006.

“This is like a war like situation for us with one bird landing every five minutes. We are hopeful that 50 per cent of these will be able to fly again,” he added. However, injuries this year were so critical that 27% (over 170 birds) had to be euthanized.

“Reports are still coming in of injured birds hanging up-side down from tree branches entangled in kite strings,” Mukherjee added.

AHF has received more than 6000 birds since it began operations in 2001. After sensing the gravity of the situation, its annual campaign, “Help the Birds” was launched in 2003.

He said veterinary experts coming from Zoological Society of London and Natural History Society had a unique experience in treating the injured birds. Their individual bird handling record tripled in a week’s times.

AHF had set up 12 injured bird collection centres from January 12-15 during the peak of festivities. The Forest Department of Gujarat provided a vehicle and helped in creating awareness among the people, he added.