Poaching threat over Chilika

[Sabyasachi Patra]

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