THANE: Around 45 sub-adult and juvenile birds—mostly pond herons and egrets—were found dead, and around 28 others, including a raven, were rescued with injuries after falling from their nests during a reckless tree-trimming operation at Rutu Enclave Society in Anand Nagar, Ghodbunder Road, Thane. The trimming was apparently carried out without relocating the birds or their nests.The incident came to light on Thursday afternoon after a concerned resident and animal lover alerted Mypalclub Foundation, an animal welfare NGO. Volunteers rushed to the scene and found dead and injured birds, shattered nests, and scattered eggs. Some birds were found in a decomposed condition, indicating they may have died a day earlier. Shockingly, some bird carcasses were found stuffed into sacks allegedly by the society contractor workers, while others—injured and alive—were dumped into a nearby gutter.Forest officials and rescue teams fear the death toll may rise, as several birds are still believed to be still trapped under the debris after the rescue operations were stopped late Thursday evening.Aditi Nair from Mypalclub Foundation said, “Most of the fledglings were too young to fly. They crashed from nests high above or were crushed by falling branches. We managed to rescue 24 live birds, many of them in critical condition, suffering fractures, open wounds, and shock.” Roshan, a rescue worker, said many dead birds had internal injuries and smashed skulls. A detailed autopsy is pending that could also reveal the species and age of the birds.As of Thursday evening, Rohit Mohite of NGO Wildlife Welfare Association said their rescuers had recovered 45 dead and 28 injured birds from the society premises and drains. The toll could increase, he hinted, as large amounts of green debris remained uncleared.A resident said the compound’s dense green cover had long served as a nesting ground for various bird species. The society allegedly began pruning trees after a few residents complained of bird droppings posing health risks. While the plan was initially debated and paused due to objections, trimming resumed earlier this week without precautions. Society office bearers were unavailable for comment.Civic and forest authorities have launched separate investigations and were preparing to file charges. “Though the society obtained permission to prune trees, workers failed to follow safety protocols or check for nests,” said a senior civic official. Forest officials who were questioning the society members till late Thursday said once the species was confirmed after post mortem, a case under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, may be invoked.Meanwhile, several adult birds returning to their nests were seen hovering over the society premises trying to locate their nests while few were seen wandering near the carcass.
