Sunshine BirdWorld
OUR BIRTH
Sunshine BirdWorld stands on an area covering more than 5 acres of land today. But a little over three decades ago it was conceived in a small modest 650 square feet apartment at Dankuni, near Kolkata, India. Every nook and corner of that small flat used to be filled with hand - made cages containing budgies, cockatiels, Love Birds, Parakeets and hundreds of finches. Because the number and species of birds increased with time, the small flat gave way to a larger one, and subsequently to two more. But within a couple of years, hundreds of birds and their chirping chicks filled all of them up and Sunshine BirdWorld got its new address at a beautiful farm in a village at North 24 Parganas of West Bengal, India.
OUR INHERITANCE
Smt Shefali Banerjee (1923 to 2013) & Shri Satyendra Nath Banerjee (1911 to 1987), grandparents of Anindita, were amateur Aviculturists passionately involved with breeding of birds and small mammals throughout their lives. They passed on their entire collection to Sunshine BirdWorld. We acknowledge their treasure trove of birds (as well as their genes) with folded hands. Their untold love and blessings have made our journey worthwhile. Read more about our origin.
OUR MENTOR
Shri Subrata Chakrabarti (Kaku) (September 2nd, 1945 to 16th June, 2021)
The legend of Indian aviculture Shri Subrata Chakrabarti, our beloved Kaku, kept and bred more than a hundred species of birds in his capacity as an aviculturist spanning over more than six decades. He also nurtured and inspired generations of aviculturists of India and abroad. His aviaries, his library and his vast treasures of rich experiences were always open to all. We were no exception, and were particularly indulged with his fatherly affection, guidance and encouragement in all our endeavours. In 2006, he blessed us with a magnanimous gift of a formidable portion of his collection of birds. He has been our Mentor, Philosopher, Guide and Father figure at Sunshine BirdWorld. His humility, modesty and passion for work will inspire generations to come. Kaku will live on forever in our work and in our hearts.
Our Mission
Development of ideal captive management protocols for sustained long-term health maintenance and positive and active propagation of exotic birds and small primates for the primary purpose of conservation of species.
Our Vision
In our quest to make our planet a better place for all inhabitants , birds serve as quintessential ambassadors, signifying the whole well-being and carrying forward the message and spirit of promoting sustainable conservation and eco-development of the entire living wildlife assemblage.
Our Journey
The beginning of the beginning; As a toddler and as a young child, Debashis had a fascination for every living animal under the Sun. From catching fish in the ponds, canals and marshes of his native village, carrying them over to the city and breeding them... to keeping lizards, rabbits and Guinea pigs as pets at home... everything excited and enchanted him. He would pick up injured wild birds from the bushes and nurse them back to health, save upon his tiffin money to buy ornamental fish and disappear from home on his own field missions. He has been a born naturalist. He was encouraged, supported and motivated in all these activities by his father Late Shri Bishnu Charan Banerjee.
- 1961The roots of Sunshine BirdWorld date back to 1961 when Smt Shefali Banerjee, along with her husband, started breeding birds and small mammals at their Kolkata residence.
Read more... - 1993Birth of what has come to be known as Sunshine BirdWorld today, at a modest apartment at Dankuni, West Bengal, India, when a few colourful parakeets were gifted by Anindita to Debashis.
- 1997Inheritance of all birds belonging to Smt Shefali Banerjee and her husband (grandparents of Anindita) by Sunshine BirdWorld.
- 1998A veritable breeding collection of Sun Conures, Rosellas, Grass Parakeets and some Lories were successfully maintained.
- 2001Acquisition of the future city office at Baguiati, Kolkata, for Sunshine BirdWorld.
- 2003Sunshine BirdWorld got its present address at North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. The present collection of birds and primates was slowly built up, along with state of the art infrastructure for housing and maintaining the collection.
- 2005Construction and setting up of advanced and dedicated Incubation Section & Hand Rearing Section (Nursery) facilities for artificial incubation and rearing procedures.
- 2006Transfer of a large number of birds from the private collection of veteran aviculturist and our “guru” Shri Subrata Chakraborty to Sunshine BirdWorld.
- 2008We were finally connected to grid electricity.
- 2017Sunshine International Avian Convention (SIAC) was held over two days at Rabindra Tirtha Auditorium, Kolkata, India.
- 2019Collaboration and MOU with Assam State Zoo (Guwahati).
- 2020Sunshine BirdWorld was ravaged by severe cyclonic storm Amphan, the fiercest in 283 years, at 160 Kmph, with gusts upto 185 Kmph for more than four hours.
Read more...
Through all these years, Sunshine BirdWorld has spread itself out and grown not only in length and breadth, but also in terms of the varieties of birds being kept and bred. The beginning was as modest as it could have been : with Budgies and Cockatiels and Love Birds. But the journey through the coveted avenues of aviculture was also as rapid as it could have been. Today Sunshine BirdWorld successfully nurtures and breeds hundreds of different varieties of birds, including Macaws, Cockatoos, Lories, Lorikeets, African Parrots, Eclectus Parrots, Finches, Softbills, Conures, Toucans, Turacos, Australian broadtails, Pionus Parrots, Blue Crowned Pigeons, Partridges and so on. The journey has been tumultuous - rough at times, smooth sailing at others, but exhilarating, challenging and addictive at all times.
Message from The Founder
Sunshine BirdWorld was born out of the wedlock of passion and perseverance with the ultimate objective of conservation of Avian Species in-situ and ex-situ. Development of Captive breeding programmes and protocols and implementation of the same to husbandry and management protocols for realizing and maximizing breeding potential to achieve the goal of successful captive breeding of endangered species of birds and animals form the very backbone of our objectives. Sunshine BirdWorld has weathered many a storm over the decades and today we have been able to stand up with our head held high because of the contribution of so many generous well-wishers. We are grateful to each one of them. The future brings in a myriad of dreams to fulfil, including the successful breeding of larger numbers of bird species
DR. DEBASHIS BANERJEE
Copyright © Sunshine BirdWorld 2021