THE Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, is a diminutive little bird that visits our shores every winter to escape the north. It flies long hours in order to make it to warmer pastures before the cold sets in. However, for a number of reasons this journey has become a perilous one.
Many do not make it – largely due to mankind’s ever expanding presence. Forests are cleared or fragmented which results in fewer rest stops for these tiny birds, which causes them to collapse mid-flight from exhaustion.
Rivers and fields are polluted leaving them fewer hunting grounds to refuel for the next long and arduous leg of their journey. Not to mention skyscrapers and tall buildings that have emerged in the middle of their flight paths, which they fatally collide into.
It is a real shame that not many humans have ever seen this beauty before in the flesh. It is truly one of nature's most beautiful birds.
I hope we are able to take more concrete steps to preserve our environment not just for our own sake, but also for all the other creatures that depend on it. I do hope you too will be able to spot this beauty in the wild one day. – The Vibes, November 28, 2021
Peter Ong is a wildlife photographer and board member of Roots & Shoots Malaysia and is one of the mentors of the Roots & Shoots Malaysia Award (Rasma) program, where he interacts with and encourages youths to get involved with Malaysian NGOs to be a part of the solution to the issues faced by wildlife, society and our environment.
