Poaching threat over Chilika

BERHAMPUR: Orissa's famed blue lagoon, the Chilika Lake, which becomes home to hundreds of migratory birds in winter, is failing to curb poaching
despite a strong security net.

Wildlife officials registered four cases and arrested two persons allegedly for poaching recently. The lake hosts over four lakh migratory birds during winter. The latest incident of poaching was reported from Sorana on Friday night. Forest officials and police seized 16 different birds, one pintail and 15 Indian moorhens, from a person.

"The poacher, identified as Anwar Khan, was caught red handed by the staff when he was returning to his village after poaching in Chilika," said divisional forest officer B P Acharya. Khan was identified as a habitual bird poacher and was arrested by wildlife officials.

Although wildlife and police officials have seized 15 different birds from poachers on three occasions, only one person was arrested. The other three, however, have managed to escape, the DFO said.

"While poaching was reported from Sorana and Kalupadaghata, no poaching was reported from the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary, where most migratory waterfowls congregate," he said.

Wildlife authorities have set up 21 camps, including two mobile camps, to guard the avian guests. "Several local youths have also engaged to protect the birds," the DFO said.

The birds concentrate in the 1,150 sq km Chilika Lake, mainly in Bhusandapur, Sorana and Mangalajodi areas. Flocks of migratory birds arrive from the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, remote parts of Russia, central and south East Asia, Ladakh and the Himalayas for feeding and roosting. The lake is recognized as the wintering zone for the largest congregation of waterfowls in the country. They start arriving in mid-October and roost here till the first week of March. But the peak congregation period is between mid-December and mid-January.

Link - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/h...ow/5331449.cms

Bad news that Chilika is facing poaching... but wonder how long it has gone unnoticed.
I would like to add to this: Chilika has witnessed a rise in fishing activities as well. This may pose a threat to the Irrawady dolphins there... Dolphins often die due to asphyxiation when they get entangled in nets.

Poaching is going on in Chilika for a long long time. There was a good attempt by Wild Orissa (Surjit, Monalisa and Nanda Kishore Bhujabal) and they had organised the ex-poachers and turned them into bird protectors. However, there are lot of other villages who poach birds right infront of the nose of the forest department outpost. The incentive to poach becomes higher when there is no punishment and when it gives them a quick buck. Also, ecotourism hasn't picked up well. Some of the ex poachers have again reverted back to poaching due to want of alternative employment.

I have heard gunshots during the day time. Worse than the poaching using firearms is the indiscriminate use of pesticides (especially Furadan) to kill birds with an intention to collect the birds and sell it to the nearest dhabas (eatery) dotting across the national highway.

I have seen hundreds of birds lying dead. The poachers can only collect a few. No body knows what happens when birds of prey like kites and eagles eat the dead bodies of the poisoned birds.

Dredging to open up new mouth to connect Chilika and sea has led to increased salinity, and a higher fish catch. However, some areas have submerged and other areas dry, thereby impacting the habitat. The number of birds last year were pretty low.

Adequate patrolling by the forest department and scientific management of Chilika would help in increasing the number of migratory birds.

The pesticide furadan can be seen on the leaf at the left side of the image.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

I found this link about use of pesticide furadan in Africa to kill carnivores like lions. So the company FMC is withdrawing the stocks of Furadan from most parts of Africa. Unfortunately, in India these pesticides are freely available and we don't have any control over its use.

Further details can be found in the link.

http://www.furadanfacts.com/LinkClic...=3768&mid=8190

Dear All,
Sharing a PTI News article regarding bird poaching in Chilika lake.
Sabyasachi

Eight migratory birds poached in Chilika

Berhampore (Orissa), Dec 19 (PTI) At least eight migratory birds of different species were poached by two persons in the famous Chilika lake area, wildlife officials said today.

The poachers -- Dusmanta Pradhan and Kalu Pradhan -- were caught by officials on duty near the lake while they were returning after killing the birds yesterday.

Officials said one bird was rescued alive from them.

"We have also seized from them some pesticides which they used for killing the birds", said B P Acharya, Divisional Forest Officer (Chilika wildlife division).

This was the third case of poaching reported from the lake this season.

The poachers kill the migratory birds to sell their meat in places like Bhubaneswar, Balugaon, Berhampur, Puri and Khurda.

The poachers generally target birds like pintail, moorhen and gadwall as their meat is in high demand in hotels in these towns, an wildlife activist said.

The source article can be found here: http://www.ptinews.com/news/1203833_...hed-in-Chilika

This is very disturbing, particularly the use of pesticides the effects of which are 100 times more dangerous, multifarious and prolonged than the traditional tricks like traps, sling shots and firearms. At least in fully protected areas like Chilka this should be dealt with strictly.

In many wetlands this problem occurs in a different form that these wetlands are contagious with Agricultural fields where pesticides are used. Dealing with this is probably the biggest challenge for wetland conservation.