Alarming decline in arrival of migratory birds, experts demand withdrawal of hunting permits

Lahore: After the alarming decline in the number of migratory birds, wildlife conservation organizations have called for the withdrawal of hunting permits for wild animals and birds.

According to Express News, hunting of migratory birds has been allowed by Punjab Wildlife till March 31. These birds come here in winter after flying thousands of miles from the cold regions of Siberia in search of food and survival and hunting is allowed here.

Experts say that due to climate change, drying up of water bodies and rampant hunting, the number of migratory birds is decreasing alarmingly across the world including Pakistan. Wildlife activists have demanded a total ban on hunting wild animals and birds.

38-year-old Malik Ibrahim belongs to Talwara area of ​​North Lahore. They are fond of hunting birds. Malik Ibrahim said that on Sundays he hunts chickens with his friends. He along with a few of his friends have obtained the license for hunting pheasants from Punjab Wildlife. They have been hunting pheasants during the season for the past several years.

Malik Ibrahim says that compared to previous years, the number of guest birds coming to Ravi is decreasing. Now very few birds are seen here. When he was asked why he hunted these innocent guest birds, Malik Ibrahim laughingly replied that it was just his hobby.

Like Malik Ibrahim, thousands of hunters hunt these guest birds every year during winter just to fulfill their hobby.

According to the redlist of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the population of 5,412 species of birds (49 percent) has been recorded worldwide in the last 30 years, the population of 4,234 (38 percent) is stable, while only 659 ( 6 percent) has seen an increase in population while according to the report of Birdlife International, 223 species of birds i.e. 1 out of 8 species are facing the threat of extinction.

Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, head of the Department of Biology, Punjab University, says that migratory birds come to Pakistan every year by traveling 3 to 4 thousand kilometers and stay here in different water bodies, lakes and wetlands. There are 700 species of water birds in Pakistan. Out of which 380 species are migratory birds that come to Pakistan every year, these guest birds settle in different water bodies in Pakistan, the total number of water bodies in Pakistan is 250, out of which 19 water bodies have got international status which are Ramserites. say

He said that Ramsarsites refers to a water area where 20 thousand or more migratory birds stay at a time. Among the guest birds that come to Pakistan are various types of kanji, bhagosh, charu, checklo, red head, banaroo, choti. Ducks and numerous other birds are included.

Fahad Malik, a wildlife conservationist and head of the Mission Awareness Foundation, says that he believes that at a time when meat is widely available for us to eat, there should be a complete ban on all kinds of hunting of wild animals and birds. As the Balochistan government has done. No hunter cares about SOPs during legal hunting. The fixed day is taken care of and not the number of birds, the hunters hunt the birds with enthusiasm and then the videos and pictures are shared on social media in a luxurious manner.

According to Fahad Malik, local birds, especially urban wildlife, are being threatened in the name of hunting migratory birds. When a hunter goes out for hunting with his friends with guns in hand, then he considers it an insult to return empty handed. Then he does not see which bird to hunt is lawful and which is unlawful.

The organization has not provided any final data on how many hunting licenses Punjab Wildlife issues every year, however, according to Mohammad Ramzan, Assistant Director of Publicity Department of Punjab Wildlife, the license fee is Rs. 6 crore, 88 lakh 76 thousand rupees was earned in the form of fees. He said that during the season hunting is allowed only on two days in a week ie Saturday and Sunday.

According to Assistant Director Ramzan, a hunter can hunt a maximum of ten birds, hunting is not allowed in protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, while hunting of all types of birds is prohibited during the breeding season from April to September.

Mudassar Hassan, Deputy Director of Punjab Wildlife and Director of Green Pakistan Program, says that the movement of migratory birds continues throughout the season (October to March), so it is not possible to survey these visiting birds like normal wildlife. The Zulu Jackal Survey of Pakistan conducts the Midwinter Survey, a midwinter waterfowl survey conducted with the help of satellites.

He said that the purpose of allowing hunting has never been to generate revenue, it is a support hunting and the purpose of allowing legal hunting is to prevent illegal hunting.