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Birds smuggled abroad for sport

Though falconry is now a vanishing sport in India, a large number of the birds continue to be caught and smuggled out to Pakistan, west Asia, European countries and the United States.

A report in the Traffic Bulletin, a journal of the traffic network -- a joint programme of the World Wide Fund for Nature said the birds were smuggled out by air in collusion with the airport staff and by train through female couriers carrying commercial consignment of betel leaves as a convenient cover-up.

The report was based on surveys conducted in 65 bird markets scattered over 40 districts in eight states. The main supply came from Nakhas and Mirshikari Toli in Lucknow, the Sonepur cattle fair in Bihar, Mehboob Chowk in Hyderabad, Crawford market in Bombay and Jama Masjid in Delhi, the report said.

High demand and strict wildlife laws in India and Pakistan have pushed up the prices of birds of prey in the international markets. These command prices between Rs 500 and Rs 80,000 depending upon the species, the potential hunting ability and the customers ability to pay.

But despite the huge profit margins, trappers do not go for it because of the difficulties involved in catching these birds in comparison to others like parakeets, mynahs and munias.

One finding of the survey was that 90 per cent of the birds of prey were caught during October and December. The period is also the best to train them for hunting. These birds were trained to hunt partridges, quails, houbara, bustards, Eurasian thick knees and small mammals such as hares.

The report suggested strict monitoring of bird markets by law enforcing authorities, alternative employment for trappers and increasing vigilance at the border and at the airports to check the illegal trade.

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