39. PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO OF A TRAPPED MYNA

The myna is a pest in Singapore.  It eats leftover food in hawker centres and elsewhere.
Compared to 5 years ago,  its numbers have had declined by more than 500%.

Many animal lovers know the reason for the population decline.The myna is  trapped and poisoned by pest control companies engaged by the authorities such as the Town Council.

All the shoppers were not bothered with this trapped myna fluttering back and forth high above the enclosed area above the escalators leading to and from the roof top.  

The two doors to the rooftop were wide open. The myna had two escape routes to freedom.

Why did he fly back and forth, landing on the window ledge above the doors? 

A male and a female teenager stood beside the two doors to ensure they stay open to help the myna fly out.

The Saturday shoppers streamed through the open doors without any concern for the distressed open-mouthed myna.

The myna population knows that humans are a threat to their life over the years of encounters.This myna would not fly down towards the door to freedom. 

It knew that humans cannot be trusted.The two teenagers holding the doors open were visible.  No bird would risk its life flying past them. 

 The teenagers had kind hearts but they had no knowledge of bird behaviour.  The myna saw them as hunters and so flew back and forth high up the area.The teenager did not know they had reached an impasse in wanting to help the myna. 

“Stand behind the open door, so that the myna can’t see you!” I said to the teenaged girl. “The bird is frightened of you.”The other teenager did the same with the other door.

Now the myna could fly to freedom.  I could not stay as I was already late for my appointment on this hot and sunny Saturday afternoon. 

I don’t know what more I could  do. This myna would perish of heat and exhaustion.

I wished the myna good luck. 

End of documentaryby Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glagow)
12 June 2023.

A video footage of the trapped myna follows. 

TO BUY PHOTO:
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UPDATE:
https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/39-photography-video-of-trapped-myna.html