BARIPADA: At a time when scorching heat of more than 40 degrees celsius has been making life miserable for humans as much as birds and animals, 52 year old David Mohammad of Baripada town has his mission clear - his eyes are always set on bats in local parks that fall down from trees unable to bear the heat. While many of the mammal species die, a few lucky ones get new lease of life with timely intervention of David.
Unable to cope with the heat, most bats fall off the trees in Gandhi Park and Jubilee parks of the town. No sooner does he see a bat struggling, David rushes to rehydrate it. A resident of ward no 5 of the town, he has been working tirelessly to save the mammals where even the Forest department and the municipality have not made any provision of water for the species in the parks of the town.
“I visit Gandhi Park whenever I have time and do my best to save the bats. The mammals fall from the trees after getting dehydrated. When they are given water, they get rejuvenated and fly away,” David said. However, a few people visiting the parks instead of making any effort to save the bats, sell their meat in market for Rs 300-Rs 400 per kg.
David said, usually Vanoo Mitra Acharya, a local social activist used to sprinkle water on trees in the two parks and this provided some respite to the bats. However, this year is harsher for the mammals. “At least the Fire department should sprinkle water on the trees inhabited by the bats to provide them some succour,” he suggested. Meanwhile, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Baripada Santosh Kumar Joshi said adequate steps will be taken to address the crisis soon.