When Chalini Chandrasagaran and her husband Albert Robin Savrimuthu first set eyes on a Hyacinth macaw at a farm they were visiting, they were moved with compassion.
The bird was undeniably beautiful, with striking blue plumage and bright yellow rings around his eyes and below his beak. But Chalini was taken by how sad he looked.
The couple later found out that a snake had attacked the bird’s partner, killing her. As it turns out, he had been very attached to his mate, which explained why he appeared so lonely.
“I believe he was also injured during the attack, which left him blind in his left eye,” Chalini told FMT. The macaw also suffers from blurred vision in his right eye.
Unable to bear leaving him there, the couple decided to adopt him and give him a new forever home. It was a sensible move – Chalini and Albert are the owners of Jojo’s Pet World, a business selling exotic birds in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.
They brought him back to the shop and decided to call him Anne – which, despite its feminine sound, means “big brother” in Tamil.
After all, he is the oldest among all the birds they have. Astonishingly, “we believe he is approximately 45 years old”, Chalini shared.
These days, Anne enjoys a diet of fruits and vegetables such as apples, broccoli, and carrots. There are two treats he especially looks forward to – bananas and almonds.
He also loves taking a shower and flaps his wings excitedly when it’s time for his bath!
Sadly, because he is blind, Anne is not comfortable mixing with other birds.
“He also doesn’t like it even when we pat him. Unlike our other birds who know when we approach them, we believe Anne is scared because he can’t see,” Chalini added.
One obvious question might be, why adopt a bird that won’t be friendly with you? It’s a query Chalini has heard before.
“What happened to him is not his fault and, even though he can’t see, he still has his own special traits,” she explained.
“I know some people let go of their pets if they have some form of handicap, or get a new one. But I believe it’s not good to do that.
“In the same manner, no human is perfect.”
Furthermore, Hyacinth macaws are a rare species, currently declared “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List of Threatened Species.
Chalini and Albert hope to look after Anne as best as they can through a combination of a healthy diet, as well as care and patience.
“I don’t know how long he will live, but I want him to live well for the rest of his life,” Chalini concluded. “I love him and I am glad we decided to adopt him.”
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