Every winter, flocks of migratory birds used to settle on the beels and wetlands of Bil Dakatia, Madhugram, Magurkhali, Shovna, Sahas and Kharnia unions in Dumuria upazila of Khulna. For several years now they have hardly been seen. Local people and bird lovers blame a lack of safe roosts and food, indiscriminate killing, unplanned fish enclosures (gher) and the loss of biodiversity.
According to residents, part of Bil Dakatia and the wetlands of Gutudia, Raghunathpur, Bhandarpara and Rangpur unions were once a sanctuary. At least 50 species came from Siberia and other cold countries in search of food, among them whistling ducks, pintails, ruddy shelducks, cormorants, waterhens and purple swamphens.
Reporters found that unscrupulous bird traders and hunters used to trap birds and lay poisoned bait, and secret markets sold them. Though hunting is banned by law, poor awareness and weak monitoring mean it has not stopped entirely.
Mojibur Rahman, a farmer beside Bil Dakatia, says almost all the natural water bodies in the beel have been filled or turned into commercial fish enclosures, and more people and noise have made the birds' safe places unsafe. Mohan Mondal of Magurkhali says native birds such as egrets and doves are declining too, because hunters kill them as well. Bird lover and cultural activist Shafiqul Islam says the change in the wetlands and the loss of trees have kept the birds away.
Dumuria upazila nirbahi officer Sabita Sarkar says the numbers have fallen for various environmental reasons and that anyone caught hunting birds or harming wild birds will face a mobile court. The upazila administration and forest department say hunting any bird, migratory or native, is a punishable offence, but local representatives and the public also need to come forward to protect them.
The report is by Dainik Bangla. The photograph shows a lesser whistling duck in Bangladesh.
Photo: Tareq Uddin Ahmed / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Source: Dainik Bangla
Comments
(0)