Rampant bird trade on across the nation

Image by Lina MenazziKATHMANDU: Each day, traders sell hundreds of birds in major cities of the nation, making a mockery of laws that prohibit trade in birds.

All this is going on because of the absence of a mechanism to rein in the illegal trade, says a recent research on wild bird trade, pointing that no bird trader has been nabbed in recent history.

The research conducted by Bird Conservation Nepal found that Parakeet trade accounts for about 45 per cent of the total bird trade, followed by Raptors, Munia, Myna, Pheasants, Owl, Lovebirds, Pigeon and Robin.

According to Ishana Thapa, conservation officer, BCN, more than 700 birds were found kept for sale in Swoyambhu on a single day. “This case shows that bird trade is burgeoning,” maintained Thapa, adding that non-documentation of traders’ details and lack of a monitoring mechanism were to blame.

Most of the birds are smuggled from outside the country and kept in Swoyambhu and Baghbazar, states the report. Jotendra Thakuri, a research team member, said the traders hide information on the origin and route from where they smuggle birds into the valley.

Nonetheless, the research team found that the traders enter the valley from Nagdhunga in local buses. “Boarding local buses from Nagdhunga, the traders pass through Thankot checkpost tactfully. They use alternative route to escape security check and enter the valley,” maintained Thakuri.

Wildlife farming policy 2003 allows farming of wild birds with permission from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, but does not allow trade in birds. “The department issues permission to the applicant interested in wild bird farming if the latter meets criteria under the wildlife farming policy. To acquire permission, the applicant must pay the allocated amount for the seed animal to be provided by the department. Breeding can be done thereafter,” said Tulsi Ram Sharma, spokesperson, DNPWC.

The department is confined to monitoring of wild birds inside national parks and conservation areas as it lacks manpower to look after the birds provided for breeding.

As per the Forest Act 1993, the Department of Forests is supposed to control the trade in birds outside national parks. But the monitoring has remained on paper, thanks to the absence of a mechanism.

According to the researchers, bird trade has gone unchecked also because the focus is on conservation of tigers and rhinos. “The birds have a very important ecological role, but their role has gone unnoticed. Uncontrolled trading has put endangered birds on the verge of extinction,” said Thapa.

Of 10,000 bird species identified globally, about 45 per cent are used as pets, food, sports and medicine. Nepal boasts of 865 bird species and 133 of these species are listed as nationally endangered.