There is a Dengue fever epidemic going around. Every year, as soon as the monsoon starts the dengue menance raises it’s ugly head, but it dies down during the dry season.  This has lead health officials to mistakenly believe that dengue is caused by Mosquitoes. Finally they have now realized that Dengue is really caused by Parrots and have ordered people to cut down all trees on which Parrots reside in. These instructions are music to the ears of a nation of tree haters and they are gleefully complying. And in doing so they are helping the country’s economy as well. Lots of unemployed persons are finding new work, as wood cutters.

Parrots build their nests by digging holes in tree trunks

There were three Cashew trees on this plot of land, home to at least 20 parrots.

Parrots often fight with Kingfishers, Mynas, Barbets and Redbacks over the same nests. Now they are all being left homeless and hopefully they will all be eliminated. After all Kingfishers might be the real cause of Aids and flamebacks are said to be responsible for Malaria. Rumour has it that Barbets might be carriers of Swine flu. A positive side effect is that we will no longer have to put up with the rackets caused by birds in the mornings.

Sign seen at an Automobile repair shop (or more simply a Garage). The photo hasn’t been desaturate, that was done by the sun

A Python in a bag, a Cobra in a box and a Baby Torque monkey on a leash in Anuradhapura. The baby monkey is terrified. Wouldn’t you be if you were tied up right next to an animal that could easily swallow you whole?

This guy was near the entrance of the hotel that we stayed him, there are plenty of others like him all over the city. There was one even at the Sri Maha Body (the Sacred Bo Tree) car park. In Sri Lanka it’s illegal to capture wild animals, yet these men operate in full view of the police, the priests and the thousands of devotees who flock to Anuradhapura during the weekends.

Many of these devotee pay the snake charmer money to see the monkey or the cobra perform. Some even pay to have their photo taken standing next to the python. (this photo was snapped surreptitiously)