Guest birds in danger

With the arrival of thousands of migratory birds in Hakaluki Haor, the biggest wetland in South Asia, poachers have become active and are killing a large number of the species for meat every day.

Several bands of local poachers set poison traps on the bank of the Haor during the winter, although killing or trapping migratory birds is legally prohibited and a punishable act.

In a special drive on Saturday, the officials of the environment department in Baralekha recovered two dead and an injured birds on the bank. They could not hold any hunter but seized several poison traps on the spot.

Officials of the Baralekha office of Center for Natural Resource Study (CNRS), an associate organisation of the Coastal and Wetland Biodiversity Management Project of the Environment Department, say CNRS workers and Haor guards often drive away the poachers. But it is hard for them to gourd the entire Haor, they add.

Many bird species including some rare birds come to the Haor every winter. The officials express their concern saying maybe many species would be extinct as the hunters are using poison traps.

Earlier, the Haor guards held a number of poachers in December and January but poaching did not stop. The officials say they are working to raise awareness among the locals about protection of migratory birds for greater interest of environment.

Generally, many bird species including Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveller, Graganey, Blue-winged-Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Common Teal, Tuffed Duck, Ferruginous Pochard, Common Pochard, Ruddy Shell Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Lesser Whistling Duck, Falcated Duck, Gray-leg-Goose, Common-Shell-Duck, Indian-Pond-Heron, Grey Heron, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Large Egret, Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, Purple Swamp hen, Pheasant-tailed-Jacana, Little Grebe, Great-Crested-Grebe, Little Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Asian Openbill, Common Coot, Pintail Snip, Marsh Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Wood Sandpiper, Green shank, Red shank, Red-Wattled Lapwing, Wattled, Brown-Headed-Gull and Black-Headed-Gull come to the Haor every year.