Migratory birds welcomed with a bang

Autumn marks the arrival of migratory birds from the Siberian region and also the opening of the hunting season.

Waterfowl - mallards, teals, herons and geese fly thousands of kilometres to the mild environs of Sindh and other areas of the South Asia. However, many get a 'roaring' welcome with a bang of shotgun.

Game hunting under permit is an international practice and a source of revenue for the Sindh Wildlife Department. However, excessive killing of the game birds as well as illegal hunting or poaching remains a challenge for the government and a source of concern for the sportsmen.

The Sindh Wildlife Department has opened the hunting season for partridges and waterfowl for four months - from November 3 to February 28.

However, hunting will be allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays, with approved shotguns required. Hunters will have to acquire a permit, which allows for the harvest of up to 15 ducks or any other waterfowl and 10 partridges or any other pheasant per licence.

The lifting of the hunting ban coincides with the start of the non-breeding season in Sindh, during which nesting and young birds are not present. The officially sanctioned season will ensure that hunting is confined to weekends. However, hunting is strictly prohibited in Kirthar National Park, all wildlife sanctuaries, and cantonment areas.

The Sindh Wildlife Department has declared a wildlife emergency for the duration of the hunting season. Wildlife officials are tasked with patrolling their jurisdictions to enforce regulation, with support from police, Rangers, and other law enforcement agencies.

For the first time, police and various local authorities, including magistrates and local body officials, will have the authority to check hunting permits and ensure compliance with bag limits (number of hunted birds per permit). This initiative, according to Sindh Wildlife Department's Chief Conservator Javed Mahar, aims to ensure transparency and curb illegal hunting practices.

Foreign visitors can acquire hunting permits for a fee of $100, separate from local hunters. The Sindh Wildlife Department staff, including field officers and inspectors, will conduct routine patrols to enforce wildlife laws.

Hunting game birds during the non-breeding season is recognised internationally as a sound wildlife management practice. Sindh is home to over 380 species of birds, including popular game species such as brown partridge, black partridge, and various waterfowl that migrate from Siberian region to benefit from the province's moderate climate in autumn, spend the winter here, and return at the advent of spring.