Birds Commit ‘Mass Suicide’: Assam is known for its tourist places and historical importance. The state boasts of a rich heritage of the mighty Ahom dynasty, which successfully defeated the Mughals 17 times. From the one-horned rhinoceros and the iconic Kamrup Kamakhya temple, Assam is a place that will surprise you in more ways than one. Among the many such stories around Assam, Jatinga is one of those places where mysterious events occur every year at the end of monsoon.
The valley is in Dima Haso district
Jatinga Valley, located in the hills of Dima Haso district of Assam, is called the suicide point of birds. Every year with the beginning of September, Jatinga village, which is usually hidden, comes into limelight due to the suicide of birds. Not only local birds but also migratory birds commit suicide if they reach here during this period. Jatinga village is considered quite mysterious for this reason. Scientists tried to investigate a lot about what is the reason that provokes birds to do this in a particular season and at a particular place.
strange behavior in birds
However, this tendency is more common in humans. Many times, people tend to commit suicide due to failure in exams or job results or in relationships. Also, there are many places which are known as suicide points for humans, like tall buildings or deep ditches. That is, such places where death can be certain. But in the case of birds this thing becomes different. Being birds, they obviously cannot kill themselves by jumping from a building, but while flying fast, they deliberately collide with buildings or tall trees and die instantly. This happens not just to a few, but to thousands of birds every year during September.
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This happens between 7 and 10 o’clock
This thing also becomes strange because these birds do this only between 7 pm and 10 pm, whereas in normal weather these birds tend to come out during the day and return to the nest at night. Then what is the reason that when darkness suddenly falls for a month or so, they come out of the nest in thousands and collide and die? 40 species of local and migratory birds participate in this suicide spree. It is said that after leaving here, foreign migratory birds do not return. There is a ban on entry into this valley at night. Anyway, due to natural reasons, Jatinga village remains isolated from the outside world for nine months.
Almost every year, Jatinga village comes into limelight due to bird suicides.
Magnetic force is the reason
Many ornithologists believe that the reason for this rare phenomenon is magnetic force. When winds blow rapidly in humid and foggy weather, birds start flying around the lights in the dark of night. Due to light they cannot see and while flying fast they collide with any building or tree or vehicles. Giving these reasons, scientists banned the entry of outsiders into Jatinga during the month of September. Even driving in the evening was prohibited to avoid light, but even after this the sequence of deaths of birds continued in a strange manner.
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Villagers believe in mysterious power
This thing is seen only in Jatinga village. According to a report, this does not happen with birds in other villages two kilometers away from the village. The villagers believe that some mysterious force is behind this. There is a belief that during this time there is some supernatural power in the winds which makes the birds do this. They believe that it can be dangerous for human population to come out during this time, hence during September-October the place becomes completely deserted in the evening.
The world came to know in 1957
Actually, this series of alleged suicides of birds has been going on since 1910. But the outside world first came to know about it in the year 1957. Then ornithologist EP Gee had come to Jatinga for some work. During this time he himself saw this incident. The ornithologist mentioned this incident in his book ‘The Wildlife of India’. He writes, “Despite many efforts, the reason for this cannot be understood. The birds do this every year from 15 August to 31 October, when there is fog and humidity. The strangest thing is that this happens only on dark nights, when there is no moonlight at all.”
Many scientists have done research
From then till today, many scientists from India and abroad have done research on it. Even forest department officials tried to find out the reason for this, but till now no reason has been found for the suicide of birds or any way to stop it. Many times attempts were made to treat and feed birds injured after colliding with buildings, but this method was also ineffective. Such birds refused to eat food and their bodies did not respond even to treatment.
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Tags: Assam, Birds, Guwahati, Suicide
FIRST PUBLISHED: March 20, 2024, 16:12 IST