One rainy, summer evening during monsoon season, while walking back to his dormitory after dinner, Dwaipayan stumbled upon an injured baby owl. He was very wet and frightened, and Dwaipayan gently picked him up from the ground. He noticed the owl had a fractured wing, and made the quick and kind decision to rescue the owl, so he could be nursed back to health. While rescuing his new friend, he thought he should call him something other than “owl“, and he came up with a great name - Storm. Aptly named, given the inclement weather.

Dwaipayan Das wasn’t new to the concept of helping animals.

When he was just four years old, he had become the youngest student member of Compassionate Crusaders Trust in Kolkata.

In the following years, while other kids were playing video games, Dwaipayan was rescuing puppies and kittens from the streets of Kolkata in northern India and taking them to CCT.  Now in his teens, he is even more dedicated to his work for animals.

Debasis Chakrabarti, the Founder of Compassionate Crusaders Trust, writes, “He would even pluck grass from his house lawn to feed the passing calves. His first ceremonial assignment at the age of six, was of greeting the British Deputy High Commissioner, our guest of honor at the launching of CCT’s Pet-Aid animal ambulance, sponsored by the RSPCA, UK. At the age of eight, he also was part of our delegation to the Governor, for presentation of a memorandum to stop animal sacrifice in the name of religion. He continues with his active rescue work.”

Dwaipayan tells the story of rescuing the owl, “I was in the hostel of Dr. Graham’s home school, Kalimpong, near Darjeeling, doing my schooling. Most of my friends were not there in the school, but had gone home because of the summer vacations. Only a very few of us were left in the cottages. While I was going back to my Willingdon cottage, from the central kitchen after dinner, I found a baby owl lying on the ground under my favorite sago palm tree. That day in June, it had rained very heavily in the afternoon. The baby owl was alive, it was grayish in color, looking healthy, but it was also looking very frightened. The owl had a fracture on its left wing.”

As a volunteer, Dwaipayan lovingly helped care for Storm for a total of six weeks under the close supervision of Debasis Chakrabarti, Founder of Compassionate Crusaders Trust, which is a fully licensed wildlife rehabilitation center in Kolkata, India. Dwaipayan and CCT ensured that Storm received the right diet every day and access to clean water, that the fractured wing healed entirely, and that the little owl was fully rehabilitated before he was allowed to fly free. Dwaipayan and CCT verified that he was able to fly well and care for himself, as well as get his own food successfully, then he was released back into his native habitat.

How you can help

If you come across a wild bird or animal that has been injured, please be sure that the wild creature gets to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as quickly as possible, usually within one hour.  Every year, however, many young birds and animals who do not need rescuing are taken away from their parents, so please do not do this.  Unless the animal is clearly injured, do not pick it up.  Instead, if you feel the animal needs help, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for instructions and for advice in knowing how best to help the bird or animal. 

Trying to care for a wild bird or animal yourself will be a big mistake.  Orphaned and injured wildlife need the experienced, skilled care of a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Rescuing wildlife is a complicated topic, and there’s lots to learn about it.

For more information on how to find a wildlife rehabilitator in your area, and when to (and when not to) rescue wildlife, please go to

http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/petcare/wildlife.cfm

Wildlife Emergencies: If you need help with a wildlife emergency, please contact wild@bestfriends.org or call (435) 644-2001 x 4460. Best Friends is a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center.

To do more, please visit http://www.animalcrusaders.org

"Be the change you want to see in the world". Mahatma Gandhi

Photos: Compassionate Crusaders Trust