Razali Bin Mohamad Habidin, deputy head avian keeper at Singapore’s Jurong Bird Park, is known as the bird whisperer to his workmates. Razali, who lost 80% of his hearing when he was a baby, joined the park 20 years ago and has developed an extraordinary bond with his feathered friends. He communicates with the birds through grunts and gestures, and says that he recognises them by their “behaviours and personalities”. There are more than 5,000 birds, from parrots to hornbills, at the park and Razali says, “All of them are my friends.” Angelin Lim, the assistant curator at the park, says, “He has a way of communicating with the birds that very few of us can... just by a look, he knows whether or not the bird is well.”…
