KARACHI, Oct 8: Sindh Wildlife Department staffers arrested four men for their alleged involvement in illegal trapping of falcons and seized from them a couple of local falcons and other birds used to catch migratory falcons on Tuesday, and six migratory falcons seized a few days back were released in the afternoon.

Responding to Dawn queries, Badin SWD game inspector Ejaz Noodani said that in the first raid, conducted jointly by the SWD and Rangers at Karo Ghungro, Zero Point, on the border of Thatta and Badin districts, Haji Majno Mallah was caught and seven local species falcons (laggers) were seized from him. His three to four accomplices escaped.

SWD staffer said that a case (first offence report [FOR] 9/2013) was registered against the suspects under Sections 7 (relating to hunting o protected animals), 10 (certificate of lawful possession), 17 (Penalties), 22 (Powers of seizure), 23 (procedures as to perishable property seized under section 22) and 33A (power to compound offence) of the Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance (SWPO),1972, and investigations were being conducted so that his accomplices could be traced and arrested.

He said that in another joint raid on the same place Pandhi Mallah and Imran Mallah, involved in falcon trapping, were caught and four pigeons and a falcon of laggar species was seized from them. A case (FOR 11 / 2013) was registered against them. They were also booked under Sections 7 (hunting of protected animals), 10 (certificate of lawful possession), 17 (penalties), 22 (powers of seizure), 23 (procedures as to perishable property seized under Section 22) and 33A (power to compound offence) of the SWPO, 1972.

In the third such raid conducted near the Sheikh Keerio shrine in Badin district Suleman Mallah, allegedly involved in falcon trapping, was caught by SWD game watcher Lakhano Mallah. A case was registered against him under Sections 7 (hunting of protected animals), 10 (certificate of lawful possession), 17 (penalties), 22 (powers of seizure), 23 (procedures as to perishable property seized under section 22) and 33A (power to compound offence) of the SWPO, 1972 and a Rs5,000 fine was imposed on him.

As the weather turns chillier and migratory birds – including rare and endangered species falcons — leaving their habitat in the Central Asian regions come to spend their winters in the relatively warm environment here, poachers here get ready to trap to them.

The local trappers, when they see the migratory falcons in the air, tie half-eaten and bleeding birds as well as small traps with the local falcons and throw them in the air to attract the migratory falcons.

When the superior species migratory falcons — peregrine and saker etc — see lesser species falcons — lagger etc — eating a bird they dive and attack the smaller local falcons to snatch the prey from them and in the process the migratory falcons get caught in the traps attached to the prey and the falcon, and fall to the ground and the trappers immediately put additional nets or cloth sheets on the birds and catch them.

Falcons released

SWD staffers released six peregrine falcons in the Misri Shah area along the city coast on Tuesday afternoon in the presence of conservationists and media representatives.

Twelve falcons were caught a few days back near Kashmore in a joint raid of SWD Sukkur staffers and Rangers while being transported from Dera Ismail Khan to the city in a Karachi-bound bus. Four of the 12 falcons had died due to careless stuffing into the baskets by a suspected wildlife trafficker, Mohammad Saleheen, who was fined Rs20,000. One falcon was sick, while seven were sent from the SWD in Sukkur to the SWD in Karachi. One of them died during the travel and the remaining six falcons were released, said SWD game inspector Rasheed Khan.