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You may have read about Jacob Tan, a biology teacher at Commonwealth Secondary School.
He has been featured several times in the media for the wildlife rescues he carries out for stranded creatures in the school, and passion for the environment.
This time, Tan attempted to rescue a lost lovebird from the school's compound, but unfortunately, the bird did not make it.
The teacher ended up giving the bird a simple burial near where it was found.
The rescue
According to Tan's Instagram post, two students discovered the lovebird near a sheltered walkway from the school canteen at 1:40pm.
Image via Jacob Tan
They then alerted another teacher, Amalina, who informed Tan about the situation.
Speaking to Mothership, Tan said he was well-prepared to rescue the bird and "sprung into action", as he always keeps a pair of gloves and netting next to his workstation in the event of any wildlife rescues requests.
Image via Jacob Tan
He noted that the lovebird was "found to be in distress". It was also not found near any reflective areas, which eliminated the possibility that it had struck a window.
The bird bore no injuries, except for a slight redness on its right wing.
Image via Jacob Tan/ Instagram
Image via Jacob Tan
Image via Jacob Tan
Tan shared that he is proud of the speed at which the school's teachers respond to such situations.
The teacher quipped:
"Within 5 mins like an ambulance upon the alert, that's our mark of excellence, to assess the risk level of the wildlife spotted, whether we will let it be or have to relocate to another part of the school."
Bird died
According to Tan, when he reached out to ACRES, he was told that it was likely a pet bird that was lost or abandoned, and was advised to put up a notice on Facebook to inform its owner.
Tragically, the lovebird remained motionless until 3:40pm, and they decided to bury it the next day.
The cause of death is unknown.
Tan speculated that the bird likely died of exhaustion and its inability to find food, especially since it was likely a pet.
Tan also observed that the pupils of the bird had dilated after death, which can be seen from the photos taken.
Ever passionate about the environment, the teacher took the opportunity to turn the incident into a learning point for his Biology students, as pupil reflex is one of the concepts they had been covering in their curriculum.
Burial of the lovebird
According to another Instagram update by Tan on Feb. 9, the bird was buried at the grass patch near where it was found.
It was a simple burial, with the lovebird placed on an open toilet paper core.
Image via Jacob Tan/ Instagram
Yellow flowers, a cutting from another plant in the school, were planted to mark the bird's resting place.
Image via Jacob Tan/ Instagram
Lovebirds are pets
In the same Instagram post, Tan explained that love birds are part of the Singapore pet trade.
These birds should not be released to the wild as they are unable to "find food on their own" to survive.
Even if they manage to survive, they may disrupt the local ecosystem by creating greater competition with the local bird species.
A pet is a lifelong commitment to take care of, so please do not abandon your pets.
Do think carefully before buying or adopting any animals, and do the proper research about care and needs.
If you are unable to take care of your pet, please rehome them properly. Owners who wish to seek advice on rehoming can visit SPCA's website.
Helplines
If one sees an injured animal or animal in distress, one can contact:
- SPCA's 24/7 emergency hotline at 6287 5355 Ext. 9.
- ACRES Wildlife Rescue Hotline (24-hour) at 9783 7782
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Images via Jacob Tan/ Instagram.