KARACHI: After conducting deta­il­ed surveys indicating a drastic reduction in bird population in Sindh, the wildlife department has not only shortened its hunting period but has also reduced the hunting areas and bag limits, sources told Dawn.

The changes in the hunting season followed a recent departmental meeting chaired by the forest and wildlife secretary, they said.

A notification issued by the department on Wednesday shows that the hunting season, which earlier used to begin in the first week of November and continued till end of February, will now start from Nov 19 and continue till Jan 21. Hunting is allowed only on Sundays on ordinary permits of Rs1,000 each.

“We have brought about major changes in the hunting season so that bird population could flourish in the province. Directives have been given to the field staff to strictly enforce the [orders] or else face departmental action,” said Taj Mohammad Sheikh, the Sindh wildlife conservator, who has recently taken over the charge.

Hunting areas, he pointed out, had been reduced from 50 per cent to 33pc.

According to wildlife officials, the bag limit for partridges and sandgrouse has been reduced from 10 to five per license whereas the bag limit for waterfowl has been reduced from 15 to 10. A shooting party having four or more licenses can hunt either 20 partridges or the same number of sandgrouse.

“Ideally, hunting should be banned completely in the province. But, you know it’s difficult to bring such an order given the fact hunters often have strong political backing,” said one official on condition of anonymity.

Other birds allowed to be hunted are: quails (50 birds per license), ducks and coots (eight birds per license), moorhens, snipes, stints, dunlin, godwit, shanks, curlews (30 birds per shooting party comprising four or more licenses).

Closed areas

The areas declared closed for hunting area: Sukkur district (Sukkur, new Sukkur, Rohri and Pannu Aqil), Ghotki district (Daharki and Ubauro), Khairpur district (Khairpur Sobo Dero, Thari Mirwah, Faiza Gunj, Kot Diji, and Kingri) Naushahro Feroz district (Moro, Naushahro Feroz, Bhirya and Mehrabpur), Qambar-Shahdadkot district (Kubo Saeed Khan, Nasirabad, Miro Khan and Sujawal Junejo), Lark­ana district (Larkana, Ratodero and Bakrani), Jacobabad district (Jacob­abad), Shikarpur district (Shikarpur and Ghari Yasin), Kashmore-Kandhkot district (Kandhkot and Tangwani), Hyderabad district (Hyderabad, Qasim­abad and Latifabad), Tando Mohammad Khan district (T.M. Khan, Tando Ghulam Hyder and Bulri Shah Karim), Tando Allahyar district (Tando Allahyar, Chambar and Jhando Murre) Matiari district (Matiari, Saeedabad and Hala), Sanghar district (Sanghar, Shahdadpur, Jam Nawaz Ali and Sinjhoro), Shaheed Benazirabad district (Nawabshah, Dure and Sakrand), Mirpurkhas district (Hussain Bux Mari, Digri, Kot Ghulam Mohammad and Sindhri), Umerkot district (Umerkot, Samaro and Kunri), Tharparkar district (Islamkot, Kaloi, Chhachhro, Nagarparkar and Dahali), Badin district (Tando Bago, Badin, Shaheed Fazal Rahu and Matli), Thatta district (Tha­tta, Keti Bandar, Ghorabari and Mirpur Sakro) Dadu district (Dadu, Mehar and K.N. Shah), Sujawal district (Sujawal, Shah Bandar and Mirpur Bathoro), Karachi (Malir district), Jamshoro district (Kotri and Thana Bulla Khan).

Areas prohibited for hunting: Kirthar National Park, wildlife sanctuaries, game reserves, cantonment areas, PAF base Bholari and river Indus from Guddu Barrage to the Indus delta.

The areas declared open: Sukkur district (Salehpat), Ghotki district (Ghotki, Mirpur Mathelo, Khangarh), Khairpur district (Gambat and Nara), Naushahro Feroz district (Kandiaro), Qambar-Shahdadkot district (Warah, Shahdadkot, Qambar), Larkana district (Dokri), Jacobabad district (Thul and Gharhi Khairo), Shikarpur district (Lakhi Ghulam Shah and Khan­pur), Kashmore district at Kandhkot (Kashmore), Tando Mohammad Khan district (Tando Mohammad Khan), Sanghar district (Khipro), Shaheed Benazirabad district (Qazi Ahmed), Mir­pur­khas district (Mirpurkhas, Jhudo, Meer Wah Gorchani), Umerkot district (Pathoro), Tharparkar district (Mithi and Diplo), Dadu district (Johi), Sujawal district (Jati and Kharo Chan), Karachi (East and West), Jamshoro district (Manjhand and Sehwan).

According to the notification, protected species, such as spot bill, cotton teal, lesser whistling teal and marble teal, are not allowed for hunting.

“The department will also prepare a report on harvest and conduct a post-harvest survey once the hunting season is over,” Adnan Hamid Khan, a senior wildlife official said.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2017