3D-Printed ‘Mother Parakeet’ Helps Save, Feed 46 Orphaned Chicks In Bengaluru

By Mohammed Rafiq Mulla

Bengaluru: Bengaluru witnessed an unusual collaboration between wildlife rescuers and engineering students when a 3D-printed feeding device helped save 46 orphaned parakeet chicks.

The device, designed to mimic a mother parakeet’s beak, enabled rescuers to feed the fragile birds and improve their chances of survival. The rescue involved rose-ringed parakeet chicks that were barely one to three weeks old. Many of them were without feathers and were in a weak condition when they were brought to a wildlife care facility in the city. The birds had reportedly been confiscated during an operation against illegal wildlife trade.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Col Dr Navaz Shariff, General Manager and Chief Wildlife Veterinarian at the PfA Wildlife Hospital, said the rescue presented a major challenge because the chicks were too young to survive without their mother. “These birds were only a few weeks old. At that stage they depend completely on the mother bird for feeding. When they were brought to us, many of them were extremely fragile and could not feed normally,” he said.

Rescue After Wildlife Crime Seizure

According to Dr Shariff, the chicks were part of a seizure linked to the illegal keeping and trade of wildlife. Rose-ringed parakeets are often used by fortune tellers or kept as pets, although Indian law prohibits keeping native wildlife in captivity. “These parakeets are commonly seen with fortune tellers, but under the Wildlife Protection Act it is illegal to keep any Indian wildlife species as pets. It is considered a wildlife crime,” Dr Shariff explained.

He said the matter was reported to the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. Following the complaint, officials confiscated the birds and brought them to the wildlife care facility for rehabilitation. “The birds were seized by officials including Mr. Sharad from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. When they arrived at our centre, they were very young nestlings and fledglings, which made the rescue effort difficult,” he said.

The chicks were initially placed in incubators where temperature, humidity and oxygen levels were carefully controlled for about a week to ten days. Maintaining these conditions was essential for the birds’ survival during the early stages of recovery.

A chick being fed with the device (ETV Bharat)

He noted that rescued animals usually stay in rehabilitation care for about two months. After that, they are shifted to larger enclosures where they can practice natural movement and behaviour before being released back into the forest. Dr Shariff said the organisation conducts rescue operations every day and often deals with animals that have suffered due to illegal trade or human activities.

Technology Expanding Role in Wildlife Care

The collaboration with engineering students has also opened new possibilities for veterinary care using 3D printing technology. Dr Shariff said the team has worked with Gopalan College of Engineering and Management on several projects involving artificial limbs for injured animals.

“In one case we fitted a 3D-printed artificial leg for a pony at PFA Mysore that had lost its limb and could not walk. We have also created artificial supports for peacocks that were paralysed after electrocution so that they could stand and move again,” he said.

He added that while artificial limbs are widely used in human medicine, similar solutions in veterinary care are still developing. “We are trying to bring these innovations into wildlife rehabilitation so injured animals can recover and return to their natural environment,” he said. Sunitha Prabhakar, Director of the Gopalan Foundation, said the project shows how technology and compassion can work together in wildlife conservation.

“The chicks feel as though they are being fed by their mother, which makes the feeding process safe and effective. This effort is a combination of technological skill and compassion,” she said. The initiative highlights how modern engineering tools such as 3D printing can support wildlife rescue efforts and improve survival chances for vulnerable animals.

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