KARACHI: The Sindh wildlife department caught two poachers and seized 32 migratory birds in Golarchi, some 175 kilometres from here, on Friday.

Responding to Dawn queries, Hyderabad deputy wildlife conservator Ghulam Mohammad Gadani said that Badin district game officer Ashfaq Memon had caught the poachers — Saddam Mallah and Raja Mallah — and seized 32 migratory birds in Golarchi, a town in Badin district.

He said that a case was registered against the poachers under the Wildlife Protection Act and a fine of Rs10,000 was imposed and recovered from them.

The illegally caught birds were also confiscated.

He said that the birds had been trapped near the international border area at Zero Point in Badin. He said that when recovered all the birds were injured and in poor health as the men had broken their wings so that they could not fly.

He said that some of the birds had died while medical assistance was being provided to other injured birds, but their condition was deteriorating.

Millions of birds leave the colder central Asian region every year to avoid harsh winter and migrate to the relatively warmer environment here. After spending winter here, they return home by March-April. During their stay here they are hunted and trapped in thousands.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2014