SWD rescues, sets free over 5,000 wild birds

Trappers left behind 14 baskets packed with birds as they fled a railway station raid

KARACHI: Over 5,000 wild birds of different species were released near Mehar Bypass on Wednesday, following a court order.

The birds were rescued from a group of seven trappers, who fled during a raid at Radhan Railway Station in Dadu district late on Tuesday evening, leaving behind 14 baskets packed with birds.

“The trappers wanted to transport the birds to Karachi,” said Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) Inspector Abdul Qayoom Channa, adding, “They [the trappers] were booked in another case of trapping earlier.”

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Channa identified five of the trappers as Manzoor Solangi, Ehsan Solangi, Gul Solangi, Basheer Solangi and Moosa Solangi, adding that a case against them as well as two of their accomplices had been registered.

The case was presented before a civil court judge in Mehar and the birds were released on the court’s directives.

According to SWD officials, over 7,000 birds were rescued from Radhan Railway Station last year as well. “The same group of trappers was found to be involved in the offence then too, and a case was registered against them, which is in progress,” said Channa. The wildlife department regulations dictate that offenders be penalised with a fine of Rs50,000 or three months of imprisonment by the court, he added.

He lamented that Radhan Railway Station continued to be used for transporting illegally-trapped wild birds despite multiple requests made to Pakistan Railway officials to take measures for curbing the practice. “The railway officials [simply] don’t cooperate with us,” he rued.

The wildlife department had placed a ban on trapping all kinds of wild birds in March last year. Since then, at least 80,000 birds of different species have been rescued and released.

Speaking about the significance of the move, SWD conservator Javed Ahmed Mahar said, “These small birds play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance, [as] they help control the population of harmful insects and locusts.”

He further said that earlier, the wildlife department used to issue permits for persons involved in the trade of [wild] birds, “but it is banned now and we have been requesting people to discourage it.”

However, among several families in Dadu district, the bird trade has been passed through generations for over 40 years, as the only means of earning a livelihood.

“They have been warned multiple times not to trap wild birds, but despite assurances and being levied with huge fines, they haven’t completely abandoned the practice of trapping wild birds and transporting them to different cities,” said Mahar. “However, our department will not allow them to continue with the illegal practice.”  

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2020.