Brahmagiri: Even as migratory birds started flocking to Chilika Lake and its adjoining areas with the onset of winter, the bird hunters are on the prowl to make fast bucks by selling the birds dead or alive.
Sources said some bird hunters have started their activities in the area with the influx of a large number of birds from abroad. The birds are perching on marshy areas surrounding Chilika Lake in search of food. Most of the migratory birds are seen in areas like Khajuriala, Ghatakudi, Budhakera, Jagadala, Haridasa, Baghalanji, Karimpur and Barkudi under the block. The birds are also seen in the farmlands of these areas.
The hunters, said sources, are using pesticides (like Furadan) to kill the birds and sell them in the local markets. They are catching the birds alive by using nets too. The poachers are selling the dead birds at around `50 a piece and live ones at `100 a piece. A hunter, on an average, makes a brisk business of around `700 to `1,000 a day.
PNN
