Students make shocking discovery after spotting distressed bird in tree: 'We can only expect these cases to increase'

A steppe eagle was left dangling by its legs for nearly half a day, trapped, not by a predator or power line, but by plastic.

According to Kashmir Reader, quick action from local students and faculty helped rescue the struggling bird, but its near-death experience highlights a growing problem that goes far beyond one eagle or a tree.

What's happening?

In Srinagar, India, a steppe eagle was found trapped in a plastic rope, suspended midair from a tall Chinar tree. The rope had likely come from a nearby dump and wrapped around the eagle's legs mid-flight. For nearly half a day, the large bird struggled to break free.

Students from S.P. College spotted the eagle and, with help from faculty and Women's College, coordinated a successful rescue. Though the bird survived, the incident has sparked concern about the growing threat of plastic waste to local wildlife.

Why is plastic waste so dangerous?

Plastic ropes, bags, packaging, and other debris are showing up in fields, forests, and waterways — spaces where animals live, feed, and migrate. Once there, they don't just linger. They injure, trap, and kill.

Birds, in particular, are often caught in plastic or mistake it for nesting material, putting their survival at risk. For endangered and migratory species, even a single incident can have ripple effects on already declining populations.

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Events like this are becoming more frequent as urban waste spills into natural areas. In 2020, a report from conservation group Oceana found 1,800 reported cases of animals from 40 different species that had swallowed or become entangled in plastic between 2009 and 2018 in the U.S. Although it noted that these figures were probably a "gross underestimate."

"The world is hooked on plastic because the industry continues to find increasingly more ways to force this persistent pollutant into our everyday routines — and it's choking, strangling, and drowning marine life," Dr. Kimberly Warner, the author of the report, said. "We can only expect these cases to increase as the industry continues to push single-use plastic into consumers' hands."

According to Earth.Org, every year, the number of animals killed by plastic may be closer to around 1 million for seabirds and 100,000 for sea mammals, turtles, and fish.

What's being done about plastic waste?

Efforts to limit plastic use and improve waste disposal are slowly gaining ground, but enforcement remains patchy. Community groups in Srinagar have called for stricter controls on dumping near parks and wooded areas. Educational campaigns have also pushed for students and residents to take part in routine cleanups around campuses and shared green spaces.

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There's also growing momentum behind personal and household changes, such as reducing single-use plastics, avoiding synthetic ropes or netting outdoors, and learning how to dispose of plastic responsibly. The more we remove this waste from public areas, the fewer threats birds and other animals will face.

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