Kamal Ghorui
A British national has been widely praised online after rescuing a dehydrated bird in Delhi’s ongoing heatwave, drawing attention to the impact of extreme temperatures on urban wildlife.Nick Booker shared a video showing how he came across a distressed bird struggling in the heat and stepped in to help.In the footage, recorded during what he described as one of the hottest days of the year, temperatures in Delhi had reached around 41 degrees Celsius.Booker said he found the bird — identified as a Black Kite — unable to move due to dehydration.“If it is hot for us – it is hot for them! Many birds are really suffering in the heatwave,” he wrote.He is seen gently moving the bird into the shade of a tree before offering it water, which it quickly drank.“On the hottest day of the year, it’s 41 degrees here in Delhi, we’re in the middle of the heatwave,” he said in the video.He also contacted wildlife rescue organisation Wildlife SOS, which responded promptly.According to Booker, the team arrived within about 20 minutes to assist the bird.He thanked members of the organisation for their quick response, saying: “Huge thanks to @wildlifesos, especially Sanoj Chaurasiya for taking my call and Pratap Singh for coming to the rescue!”The video has been widely appreciated online, with many users praising the quick response and highlighting the importance of helping animals during extreme weather conditions.The incident also pointed to a wider concern during the heatwave. Booker noted that rescue teams were dealing with a sharp rise in distress calls involving birds.He said around 15 birds had been rescued on that day alone, compared to just two or three on a typical day.Urging people to take simple steps to help, he added: “Please do put out water on your balconies, on your terraces, in front of your homes because the birds really need to drink.”The video highlights the growing impact of rising temperatures on wildlife, as heatwave conditions continue across parts of northern India.
