Hands off the migratory birds
Treat them as an integral part of our fauna
IT hurt many readers of our newspaper on Thursday to see the frontpage photospread of two dead Pochards, rare migratory bird species, on a boat, having been reportedly recovered(!) from Hakaluki Haor in Moulvibazar. They were supposed to have been trapped or drugged to death, or both.
The countless numbers of birds that travel to wetlands of Bangladesh in winter to escape the inhospitable, intense cold of Siberia are so beautiful, suffused with colour, coming in different sizes and shapes -- all very sleek and eye-soothing -- that the thought of harming them could only be entertained by the cruelest of Homo Sapiens. They add colour and delectability to our landscape, otherwise plane and homogeneous in formation; and more importantly, they enrich bio-diversity which is the staple of ecological and geo-morphological balance.
We know these sophisticated concepts of environmental sensibilities and rationale mean nothing to those who see lucre in the poaching business and also who are driven by lack of income to look for an easy source of earning, aside from of course shamelessly nibbling at the meat. So, a holistic approach with some specific components needs to be taken to discourage poaching activities in our haors and other marshy lands.
We suggest a four-pronged strategy: punishment, community awareness and involvement, strengthening of official vigil, and developing the haor areas to generate jobs. As for punishment, it must be deterrent. Far from it, what happens now is that the hunters and poachers, even when caught, get out without any scratch. This must stop. Let the forest and environment staff take legal action against the culprits, demonstrating what it costs to break rules.
The wildlife preservation and bird-watcher groups should make it a common cause to sensitise people by instilling in them love for the migratory birds. More than study and research groups, we need action groups. The print and electronic media can take up the cause in a bigger way. Alongside wetland management personnel, the local body leaders and some dedicated NGOs could lend a hand in conducting a campaign for the protection of our wetland resources. Last but not the least, the wetlands in spite of their potential for development, remain marginalised, so that special projects need to be implemented to enable their economic growth.
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