ISLAMABAD, Nov 11: The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Islamabad office has raised alarm over rampant hunting of falcons and their illegal business/trade along the coasts in Balochistan.

“Our site staff has reported that falcon trapping activity is in full swing at Makran coast and Gwadar. The illegal activity is happening all along the coast from Iranian border up to Ormara and most of the locals are engaged in capturing the fully grown female falcons like Sakker and Peregrine,” said an official in WWF office here in Islamabad.

There were local agents who purchased the captured predatory birds from local trappers, according to the official who added that it had come into knowledge that recently two falcons were sold for Rs500,000 to an international buyer in Jiwani near Karachi city. According to experts in biodiversity with WWF, the falcons made a 15 to 20 days stop in Pakistan to feed.

“They reach Pakistan after a very long journey from Siberia. And there is farther more to fly up to the north of Pakistan. They are hungry and stay in Pakistan to feed,” said an official lamenting what he believed was the inefficient role of the wildlife department of Balochistan.

Pakistan was bound to protect both the endangered Sakker and Peregrine species under the Balochistan Wildlife Act 1971 and the Convention of Biodiversity of which the country was signatory.

Requesting anonymity, an official with the Balochistan Wildlife Department said over the phone that local hunters used traditional mechanism for capturing of birds - an umbrella shaped hut with holes. The hunter stayed hidden in the hut and used small birds like doves, pigeons or common quail to attract the falcon. They also used small Buzzard falcons to attract the larger females.

“Female falcons are far more in demand for breeding purposes and because they are bigger in size,” said the official, adding that hunters had installed over a thousand such huts to trap falcons this year.

“This number is quite high and signs of alarming situation for the falcon population,” he said, explaining that “the government administrative body like Balochistan Forest and Wildlife department can easily put an end to the practice under the law to protect wildlife including migratory birds. The department has good strength in the district – range officers and game watchers – but the ground situation is not satisfactory for falcon trapping and getting worse every year.”

Last year, an illegal consignment of 52 falcons was confiscated by Pakistan Coast Guard in Karachi that was going to be smuggled via Iran to Dubai.

According to WWF all falcons were released safely in their natural environment in presence of mediapersons and international organisations working for conservation of nature. Falcons fetch between Rs500,000 to Rs1 million in Middle Eastern countries.

WWF said the current rush of falcon trapping showed a dismal picture of how most of the hunters were openly trapping migratory birds and their illegal activities were being ignored by the offices concerned.

The district forest officer Balochistan was unavailable for his comments despite attempts to get his version.