KASARAGOD: No life is too small. Four fire and rescue officers upheld the maxim as they travelled 30 minutes to save a magpie-robin chick that fell into a 35-foot elevator duct in the Central University of Kerala on Wednesday.
When the groggy little chick was left on the terrace, the mother bird swooped down to reunite with her chick. "It was a sight I was waiting to see since yesterday. The mother flew away and came back with food for the chick," said assistant professor B S Ashalekshmi, who called in the rescue personnel. She was initially sceptical of making the phone call thinking the officers may ridicule her calling them for a chick. "But they said they would be here in 30 minutes and they were here," she said.
Dr Ashalekshmi was informed of the chick down in the dark duct by a police officer guarding the Department of Public Administration building during the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. He was on the terrace of the three-story
building when he noticed a bird fluttering around him and trying to get his attention.
The police officer followed the bird to the duct which had an opening on the terrace. "It was pitch dark inside but he could hear the sound of a bird inside. He ran down to the ground floor and alerted us of a bird trapped inside the duct. The panic in his voice reflected the anxiety of the mother bird," said Dr Ashalekshmi, a faculty member of the Department of Public Administration.
The police officer asked the university security guard for a rope to get down the duct. But everyone was busy with the convocation. "I remember the police officer saying he will not be able to sleep if the bird is not rescued," she said. That Tuesday, Dr Ashalekshmi, who has a toddler at home, left early. But she was restless at home.
The next day, the first thing she asked the security guard was whether the chick was rescued. When he replied in the negative, they tried to get her some grains and water. They also unsuccessfully tried to get into the duct. The chick was too weak to fly up.
Later, they hesitantly decided to call the fire and rescue station at Kanhangad. Rescue officer Linesh V, Athul Mohan, Kiran K, driver Sarath Lal and home guard Babu N V reached the university in a jiffy. Linesh got down the 35-ft duct and took out the bird. The bodies of two other chicks were found.
Rescue personnel said the chicks must have fallen from the nest in the ceiling. Rescue officer Athul Mohan said they usually get calls to pull out cows and buffaloes from wells. "This is the first time we rescued a bird from an elevator duct," he said.
He said their superiors had instructed them not to attempt saving dogs and snakes because of the risk of being bitten. "But we still analyse the situation and take a call on rescuing them too. However, it will be at our own risk," he said.
Dr Ashalekshmi said she did not note the name of the police officer who told her about the bird. "All I know is he is from Ernakulam and he will return after the President's duty. He has a heart of gold," she said.