Development news of orissa and India

Rajesh Kumar Behera in Kendrapara, India

Migratory birds flock to Bhitarakanika National Park every year during the month of September and leave for their permanent homes in the end of March. During this period , it is a boom time for poachers as this time during the year is said to be the time for merry making and picnic time for which    the poachers  manage to  trap and kill the winged guests and sell it slyly   in order to earn a fast buck from the tourists. But , ironically the forest officials have failed to curb down the illegal activities in the National park ,alleged locals.

Poachers trap birds by spreading nets on the paddy fields near Bhitarakanika when the birds descend   to take ripen 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.

Migratory birds are being trapped  both upstream and down stream in the sanctuary areas. According to official sources, the poacher shoot the birds down either in the early morning or at night fall. In order to trap the feathered species, the poachers have also spread bird feed, net, laced with drugs . 

Later, they  kill the migratory birds and sell it  to the hotels and bungalows of nearby districts or to  the  markets of Mahakalpada, Rajanagar, Rajakanika and other nearby places , informed a bird poacher   of Gupti area by not disclosing his name  .

Locals stated  that each bird from a foreign country fetches between Rs100 to Rs175,   whereas a residential  bird is sold at the rate of Rs60 to Rs100. Due to poverty  the locals killed the birds in order to   collect their bread and butters .

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   in order to catch fish with taking all the equipments with them. They spread fishing nets in the area slyly at night in the sanctuary  . which serves   the dual  purpose of catching both birds and fish As there is no firing , the people  don’t come to know about the bird catch.

As the X- mas and New year eve is on the card, the innocent feathered guests are going to be killed  mercilessly by the poachers  According to a poacher of  Talachua , the price of each endangered migratory birds in the black market  varies from Rs 250- 400. He added that he captures the birds  with nets  in the dense forest of Bhitarkanika   and sent to the hotels at Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Paradeep and Bhadrak.

Several  migratory birds ,who throng into the Bhitarkanika National Park, have fallen prey to poachers ,despite tight   patrolling all over the park, informed official sources.

The main factor that is worrying ornithologists and wildlife experts is that whereas earlier 22 species of wild ducks and geese frequented   Bhitarakanika, now the number has drastically reduced to a mere 14 species due to poaching of birds . The notable species that no longer  frequent the Bhitarakanika are pink-footed geese, white-headed stiff tail, tufted duck to name a few.

Not only that birds are mercilessly killed by the poachers in the Bhitarkanika national park during this time of the year  but also deer are mercilessly killed during this time by the taxidermists .

If sources are to be believed ,about  eight spotted deer were mercilessly killed in the mangrove forest of Mahanadi Delta under Bhitarkanika National park area in last five months by the local poachers ,who   trap and kill the antelopes in order to earn a fast buck by slyly selling its venison ,antlers  and  hide   in the nearby  market , alleged locals.

Locals alleged that rampant poaching of deer has been going on in the forest of Kansardiha, Kharinashi and Sasana forest areas under Bhitarknaika National Park . About 3-4 deer were trapped and   killed mercilessly  by the poachers and taxidermists in the last month in the ongoing winter season  .

As per the data collected from the locals that the poachers were residing in the coastal villages of Kharanashi , Kajalpatia, Badatota and Chapaligada .Most of them   were the Bangla immigrants ,who have settled in the Mahakalpada areas illegally.each poaching groups comprises more than 6 persons.

Poachers trap spotted deer  by spreading nylon nets   and loops on the paddy fields mostly in the unprotected areas  in the park . Even the poachers have also trapped deer outside the boundary of the Bhitarkanika when the antelopes manage to escape from the   forest  . As a result, these hoofed animals fall prey in the traps of the  poachers and taxidermists , informed locals .

According to locals, the poachers trap the deer  either in the early morning or at night fall. Later, they   kill the deer  and sell it  in the nearby villages or send the venison to Paradeep through   boats in the water route. Later, they slyly sell the venison in the villages during the night hour and also transport the venison ,hide and antlers to Paradeep and its adjoining areas   through water route.