Winged visitors losing haven

 Winged visitors to one of the most beautiful parts of the region are facing the threat of being shot, bundled in gunny backs and whisked away to be placed on appetizing menus.The near-threatened species of Oriental Darter birds, along with Little Cormorants and Indian Cormorants that have arrived to build quite a large bird colony atop trees in the Pandi Island in Cheruthana village of Karthikapally taluk, are the seasonal visitors who are being shot by trigger-happy hunters.Pandi Island, a scenic spot but inhabited unlike the Pathiramanal Island and quite close to the Thottapally Spillway that opens to the sea, has been a regular nesting spot for migratory birds like the Darter, which is listed on the Red Data Book of Indian Birds. However, the danger of these birds being shot down from their high perches began this year.According to B. Sreekumar, president of the Kottayam Nature Society (KNS), the Society had stumbled upon the nesting spot of these visitors, atop an 'Anjili' tree situated on a private plot on the island during a recent survey. The Society also came to know that the local public was quite irritated with the birds as their droppings were "polluting" the premises. The Society began a subtle campaign to create awareness, only to be taken aback by the news that hunters from as far as Ernakulam were training their guns on the spot. "We were told by locals, who had stopped troubling the birds after our campaign, that there were days when these hunters would shoot down the birds and take them away in gunny bags," S. Suresh Kumar, a KNS member, said.As if that was not enough, an unofficial announcement, reportedly by a Health Department official, that these migratory birds were confirmed carriers of the Avian flu, has spread panic among the local public, who are now confused over what to do.KNS, Mr. Suresh said, was planning an awareness meeting and discussion on the issue on the island from 3 p.m. on October 11. Wild Life officials, Social Forestry Department officials, public representatives and the general public are expected to attend.

The Hindu,8^th October 2008