Vadodara, Nov 5 (PTI) ‘Laddu’ has flown away, and his devastated human family in Vadodara is making fervent pleas to residents to trace their “son” and has even announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for those who can help find the African grey parrot.
The Parikh family is particularly worried because the bird “cannot feed itself” and is also conscious that those who are not “pet parents” might find their desperation amusing.
“To me, this wasn’t just a parrot; he was the apple of my eye,” said Jessica Parikh, who took care of Laddu like a son. Struggling to hold back tears, she urged people to locate the bird, which has been missing since 7 pm on October 31.
Parikh said Laddu managed to open the door of its cage and flew away, prompting them to launch a frantic search. Her family got the six-month-old male parrot from a breeder in Pune and had it with them at their home in the Sevasi Road area for around four months.
“To us, he was a son; more than just a son. He was a piece of our own hearts. We have searched extensively in Sevasi, Gotri, Bhayli (areas of the city), and many other places, but have not spotted him anywhere. Rescue teams suggested he might not have travelled far, but we searched well beyond that radius,” she said.
The family even used loudspeakers to play recordings of their own calls and voices, and tried whistling, but to no avail, Parikh said.
Known for their remarkable intelligence and ability to mimic human speech, African grey parrots are highly social birds that can form deep bonds with their human caregivers, she said.
“He must be suffering, longing to return. I know my ‘son’ cannot feed himself; I used to feed him. He has likely been without food for the past four days,” Parikh said.
People who aren't pet parents might make light of their efforts to find Laddu, she said.
“We suspect he might be in an isolated area, perhaps near a river. He wears a ring with a licence number. There is a small scratch on his beak, and a tiny, pin-prick-like mark near his eye from a recent injury. We would be able to identify him if someone were to make a video call to us,” she said.
Her family has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh, she said, adding that they will gladly provide it to anyone who helps them find Laddu.
The parrot is shy around others and sits quietly when he sees someone, Parikh said.
“He usually doesn’t respond when called by name, but will certainly respond if you whistle ...If all of us in Vadodara work together, we might be able to find him,” she added.
This bird species was once commonly found across parts of West and Central Africa, but its numbers in the wild have since collapsed. For instance, in Ghana, its population has dropped by 90-99 per cent since the early 1990s, according to wildlife trade researchers.
Besides intelligence, it is also renowned in the avian world for its ability to speak with great clarity and an extensive vocabulary. It can vividly imitate human voices, household sounds like doorbells, and even phone ringtones, as per bird experts.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)