Eagles creating nuisance in city

LAHORE:

A group of people who prey on animals and people, not literally but virtually, has emerged in the city, creating a nuisance for the flow of traffic and for pedestrians as well.

Their modus operandi is to exploit the people who want to be charitable towards the animals, eagles and other birds in this case.

There are two ways of doing so.

First is to feed the birds, and the second is to buy freedom for the ones who are in captivity.

So the miscreants need two things to run their business.

One is meat, and the other is to catch birds and cage them until some gentle soul comes to them and pay them the price of freeing the caged birds.

The other category of people buys meat and leaves it in the city’s thoroughfares for the eagles and other birds to swoop down on them and satiate their hunger.

Who do they buy the meat from? The meat meant for birds’ consumption is being sold openly in the areas of Canal Road, some areas along the Ravi, Thokar Niaz Baig and blocks of GT Road.

No wonder, then, that these areas become the hub where eagles and crows hover in large numbers in search of food, and when they spot it they land on it, leaving the motorcyclists threatened by their movement.

The more the meat is left in these areas the larger the number of eagles and crows that hover in these places and consequently greater the nuisance for the general public and, especially, the motorcyclists.

Ayeza Haider, a wildlife activist, said that the sellers of meat meant for eagles’ consumption put the stuff in red plastic bags.

The colour red is especially chosen so that eagles could easily spot these bags.

Ayeza Haider said that this practice not only endangered the birds' lives, but it also increased the number of eagles hovering in those areas.

A bloodthirsty eagle gliding towards the ground at full thrust could cause accidents involving human lives.

The focal person of The National Alliance of Animal Rights, Aneeza Khan Omer Zai, has sent photos and videos of bird sellers in different parts of the city to the district wildlife officer of Lahore.

Khan has demanded of the government to take serious action against those selling birds after captivating them.

Meanwhile, Punjab wildlife officials said that it was illegal to cage protected birds, and that action was being taken against those involved in this practice.