2020-04-01 Reader\'s Digest AUNZ

READER’S DIGEST

Youcouldearncashbytellingus

abouttheanticsofuniquepetsor

wildlife.Turntopage 8 fordetails

onhowtocontribute.

FosterMum
DYANSENEVIRATNE

In2015,mynephew,hiswifeand
theirtwosmallchildrenmoved
toNawala,a suburbinColombo,
SriLanka.Astheirnaturalloveof
animals– andbirdsinparticular

• remained,mynephewhadan
  internalcourtyardbuiltnexttotheir
  newlivingroomwitha fishpond,
  treesandcreepers– mimickingthe
  junglethey’dleftbehind.
  Returninghomeaftera weekend
  away,thekidsnoticedthata
  pairofred-ventedbulbulshad
  createda nestofleavesandtwigs
  ina precariousspacebetweena
  paintingandthewallinsidethe

houseadjacenttothecourtyard.

Soontherewerethreelittle

hatchlings.Sadly,abouta weekafter

theyhadhatched,tragedystruck.

Despiterulesthatnooneshould

disturbthebirdfamily,a ceilingfan

closetothenestwasinadvertently

switchedon.Whenthemamabird

decidedtotakeflightshefelltoher

death.Thequestionthenwashow

tofeedthelittlebrood.

Mynephewandhiskidsdecided

tofeedtheyoungoneswithwhatever

morselsoffoodtheycouldcome

SMART ANIMALS

ILLUSTRATIONS: GETTY IMAGES

If they are not entertaining us, they are astounding us

16 april 2020