We don’t want our birds killed

A curlew flies over the coast of Karachi. Photo by Taimur Mirza.

A curlew flies over the coast of Karachi. The unfortunate guest shorebird is a victim of hunting in Pakistan. Licenses issued by the Sindh Wildlife Government allows a party of four hunters to kill up to 60 birds over a weekend. Hunting season is on full swing. Partridges, sandgrouse, quail, ducks, coots, moorhen snipes, stints, dunlin, godwit, ruff, curlews and red shank are all fair game.

A man hunts migratory birds on Russian beach, Port Qasim, Karachi. Photo by anonymous.

The talukas of Thatta, Shahbandar, Mahal Kharochan, Mirpur Sakro, Sujawal, Jati, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Bago, Hyderabad, Golarchi, Fazil Raho, Badin, Mahal Kohistan, Kotri, Mehar, Digri, Kunri, Diplo, Chachro, Mithi, Sarhari, Sakrand, Faiz Gung, Bhirya, Sobho Dero, Thari Mir Wah, Nara, Khairpur, Rohri, Sehwan, Samaro, Ghotki, Khanpur, Jacobabad, Thul, Ghari Khairo, Shikarpur, Larkana, Miro Khan, Qambar, Sindhri, Tando Adam and Sinjhoro shall remain open for hunting.

DAWN newspaper: https://www.dawn.com/news/5564
Western Reef Egret in the mangroves of Karachi. Photo by Taimur Mirza.

While some of us like to observe the wonders of birdlife in nature, weekend hunters take the birds’ life for the thrill of the kill. In the face of a worldwide biodiversity crisis, should the Sindh Wildlife Department, entrusted with protecting animals, be allowed to endlessly please hunters, from influential landlords, politicians, rich businessmen to city slickers?

A man hunts flamingoes at Russian beach, Port Qasim.

We demand that Pakistan’s wildlife be protected from gun toting recreational hunters and poachers, to let nature recover and for biodiversity to flourish once again.

Photo by Taimur Mirza.

We want to be able to go to these areas without fear of firearms going off, and to exercise our fundamental constitutional right to enjoy the country’s wild spaces. For a change, can the Sindh Wildlife Department stop issuing licenses to kill our precious wildlife, and instead consider humane alternatives to earning money?

A brahminy kite perched atop Karachi’s mangroves. Photo by Taimur Mirza.

One thought on “We don’t want our birds killed

  1. I am Areej Malik hereby apply for the post mentioned above in your firm. I am from Zoology department. I am passionate about this. I can work with no or minimal supervision.

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