Environmental activists have released more than 500 birds caught by hunters in Gurudaspur, Natore.

Acting on a tip-off, they raided the Hazirhat area of the upazila at noon on Friday, 10 November, and recovered the birds from two large cages and a net sack. The birds were then set free by S M Shahidul Islam Sohel, a lawyer and president of the Gurudaspur Biodiversity Protection Committee, and its general secretary, Nazmul Hasan.

Sohel said locals had reported that some unscrupulous people were smuggling away more than 500 birds, and the activists raided the spot as soon as they heard. The hunters fled, leaving the birds behind. Birds of seven species, including egrets, kingfishers, bharui, doves, whistling ducks and nightjars, were recovered from the two cages and the net sack and then released.

He said about 50 of the birds were weak from being kept in the sack. They were nursed back to health and released in the Chanchkoir bazar area.

Noting that bird hunting is a punishable offence, Shahidul Islam Sohel said hunters would not be able to catch birds if everyone were aware. "Our drives to stop bird hunting are continuing," he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.