Stop the Killing of the Houbara Bustard By Hunters in Pakistan!
- by: Aijaz Ahmed
- recipient: WWFP, President of Pakistan, wildlife department Sindh
The Houbara Bustard ( Named “Taloor” in Sindhi language) is 60 cm long with an 140 cm wingspan. It is brown above and white below, with a black stripe down the sides of its neck.
Every year at the onset of winter, millions of wild birds from cold northern regions i.e. Siberia migrate towards the warmer regions of the world.
The Houbara Bustard is also listed in the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, which is known as the Bonn Convention.
Pakistan is regarded as an important wintering ground for migratory birds.
The reason is Indus Flyway that provides a significant series of waterways and wetlands all the way long from northern mountains to the Indus Delta. Almost 70% of migratory birds that enter Pakistan finally roost on various wetlands of Sindh province, while the rest stay behind in other provinces.
Until late 1970s, the Arab royals used to go to Iran and Afghanistan as well for hunting this bird. But since the fall of Shah of Iran and Afghanistan war, Pakistan became the sole destination for the bird hunters. In 1912, the British government banned the hunting of houbara on the subcontinent. Pakistan also imposed a permanent ban on hunting of the bird in 1972. But nothing worked in front of our royal guests from Arab states because they believe the meat of this bird has mythical aphrodisiac qualities.
Hunting of Houbara bustard by Pakistanis is banned under wildlife laws
Despite strong opposition by the Environment Ministry, The federal government has issued 28 special permits to the rulers, members of ruling families and other dignitaries of four Gulf States to hunt the internationally protected Houbara bustard during the 2010-2011 winter seasons.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, has been allotted hunting areas in Sindh Sukkur, Ghotki, Nawabshah and Sanghar districts
Because of the increased hunting of the bird, especially in its winter habitats, the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has classified it as an endangered migratory bird.
The Asian Houbara could be extinct within 15 to 25 years if unchecked hunting, illegal trapping and trading of the bird continued at the existing scale, said the study conducted by the Environment Research and Wild life Development Agency (ERWDA). ERWDA estimated that the natural death rate of the bird was 3.28 percent while death due to hunting accounted for more than 73 percent. The rate of hunting has reached nearly 20.8 percent, dangerously exceeding the acceptable 7.2 percent.
Sindh Wildlife Department has full authority to control sport hunting and to restrain poaching of wild birds and animals for trade purposes. But there has been a meager control observed against illegal poaching and hunting, especially against influential personalities who support this tradition
The Houbara Bustard ( Named “Taloor” in Sindhi language) is 60 cm long with an 140 cm wingspan. It is brown above and white below, with a black stripe down the sides of its neck.
Every year at the onset of winter, millions of wild birds from cold northern regions i.e. Siberia migrate towards the warmer regions of the world.
The Houbara Bustard is also listed in the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, which is known as the Bonn Convention.
Pakistan is regarded as an important wintering ground for migratory birds.
The reason is Indus Flyway that provides a significant series of waterways and wetlands all the way long from northern mountains to the Indus Delta. Almost 70% of migratory birds that enter Pakistan finally roost on various wetlands of Sindh province, while the rest stay behind in other provinces.
Until late 1970s, the Arab royals used to go to Iran and Afghanistan as well for hunting this bird. But since the fall of Shah of Iran and Afghanistan war, Pakistan became the sole destination for the bird hunters. In 1912, the British government banned the hunting of houbara on the subcontinent. Pakistan also imposed a permanent ban on hunting of the bird in 1972. But nothing worked in front of our royal guests from Arab states because they believe the meat of this bird has mythical aphrodisiac qualities.
Hunting of Houbara bustard by Pakistanis is banned under wildlife laws
Despite strong opposition by the Environment Ministry, The federal government has issued 28 special permits to the rulers, members of ruling families and other dignitaries of four Gulf States to hunt the internationally protected Houbara bustard during the 2010-2011 winter seasons.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, has been allotted hunting areas in Sindh Sukkur, Ghotki, Nawabshah and Sanghar districts
Because of the increased hunting of the bird, especially in its winter habitats, the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has classified it as an endangered migratory bird.
The Asian Houbara could be extinct within 15 to 25 years if unchecked hunting, illegal trapping and trading of the bird continued at the existing scale, said the study conducted by the Environment Research and Wild life Development Agency (ERWDA). ERWDA estimated that the natural death rate of the bird was 3.28 percent while death due to hunting accounted for more than 73 percent. The rate of hunting has reached nearly 20.8 percent, dangerously exceeding the acceptable 7.2 percent.
Sindh Wildlife Department has full authority to control sport hunting and to restrain poaching of wild birds and animals for trade purposes. But there has been a meager control observed against illegal poaching and hunting, especially against influential personalities who support this tradition
kindly stop this cruel hunting of innocent wilds as we have the power to stop it
Read more about the victory here.
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