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Wildlife Act Ignored: Birds Die in Fish Nets
5 Apr
Summary
- Birds are illegally trapped and killed in nets set for commercial fishing.
- Forest officials reportedly neglect monitoring, allowing illegal practices.
- Citizen scientists document and expose these cruel acts against wildlife.
Birds that prey on fish in wetlands are suffering due to commercial fishing operations, facing illegal trapping and death. Although the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, safeguards these species, they are being caught in nets and suffering agonizing deaths.
The forest and wildlife department is criticized for not adequately monitoring areas where commercial fisheries are licensed. These water bodies, once free of commercial activity, are now often overlaid with nets, trapping unsuspecting birds. This practice violates Section 9 of the Act, which prohibits hunting protected species.
Furthermore, commercial fishermen reportedly kill birds and use them as scarecrows to deter other birds. This illegal activity persists due to a lack of enforcement and field monitoring by law-enforcement officials, a duty mandated by law.
Citizen scientists and birders have been instrumental in bringing these
