Decline in migratory birds at Bhitarkanika

The Pioneer , Friday, December 29, 2006
Correspondent : Rajesh Behera
...Poaching to blame, say experts

Migratory birds flock to Bhitarkanika National Park every year during the month of September and leave for their permanent homes at the end of March.

During this period, it is a boom time for poachers as they manage to trap and kill the winged guests and sell them slyly to earn a fast buck.

Ornithologists and wildlife experts, are now worried that earlier more than 20 types of wild ducks and geese frequented Bhitarakanika, but now the number had drastically come down due to abundant poaching .

The notable species that no longer frequent in the Bhitarkanika are common shell duck, pink-footed geese, white-headed stiff tail, tufted duck to name a few, said official sources

Poachers trap birds by spreading nets on the paddy fields near Bhitarkanika when the birds descend to take ripe paddy on the fields, said official sources.

The national park has made rare migratory birds go looking for other water sources, mostly unprotected. As a result, these birds are becoming food for the hunters, informed the forest officials.

Migratory birds are being trapped both upstream and downstream in the sanctuary area.

About 75 per cent of them are killed for food. According to official sources, the poachers shoot down the birds either in the early mornings or at nightfall. In order to trap the feathered species, the poachers spread bird feed, net, laced with drugs.

Later, they kill them and sell them to the hotels of nearby districts or to the markets of Mahakalpada, Rajnagar, Rajkanika and other nearby places, alleged locals.

Locals stated each exotic bird fetches between Rs100 and Rs175, whereas a residential bird is sold at Rs 60 to Rs100. Due to poverty the locals also kill the birds to collect their bread and butter.

According to local bird lovers, poachers have evolved an easy way to catch the birds as they are going to the river inlets, creeks and nullahs of Bhitarkanika to catch fish with all the equipment with them so that no one doubts them.

They spread fishing nets in the area slyly at night in the sanctuary, which serve the dual purpose of catching both birds and fish and as they don't fire shots from guns the people don't come to know about the bird catch.

It is alleged by the bird lovers in this winter nearly 50 winter birds, including gret hornbills, bill, mynahs, munias and house ringed parakeets have reportedly been sold in the nearby markets.

According to a poacher, the price of each endangered migratory birds in the illegal market varies from Rs 250- 400. He added he captures the birds with nets in the dense forests of Bhitarkanika and sends them to the hotels in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Paradip and Bhadrak.

Thousands of migratory birds, who throng into the Bhitarkanika National Park, have fallen prey to poachers, despite increasing patrolling all over the park, said sources.

 
SOURCE : The Pioneer, Friday, December 29, 2006
 


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