A video of Uttar Pradesh farmer Mohammad Arif visiting the Sarus crane he had befriended after rescuing it a year ago is making waves on the internet. The bird can be seen jumping several times and almost trying to reach him. It then flies around the cage, unable to contain its excitement.
“This is so sad. The bird was free with Arif,” a Twitter user responded.
In February 2022, Arif rescued an injured Sarus crane he found in his village of Mandhka in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi district. The bird recovered in time but never left him. Videos of the bird following him everywhere became viral on social media and news outlets including BBC covered their story.
Soon after that Arif was booked under the Wildlife Protection Act and the bird was transferred to Kanpur Zoo.
“This is so sad! Our country’s bureaucrats and bureaucracy have much to answer for! There are books and novels and films made on red tapism and the absurdity of laws. What’s the point! Why can’t there be a more humane approach!”: Journalist Geeta Seshu tweeted.
Sarus cranes are the official “state bird”.
