As the world observes World Wetlands Day 2023 on Thursday with the theme It's Time for Wetlands Restoration, as many as 19 migratory birds were found dead and 57 bird trapping nets seized from Ikop Pat (lake), an important wetland of Manipur. Ikop Pat is located at Khangabok, at a distance of about 40 km south-east from Imphal.
The seizure was made during an anti-poaching drive conducted at some parts of Ikop Pat by a combined team of the Unique Wildlife Protection Committee (UWLPC), police and forest staff Thursday morning.
The committee stated in a release that on the occasion of World Wetlands Day, an anti-poaching drive was conducted at the southern parts of Ikop Pat under the supervision of Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Thoubal Th Lokendro early Thursday.
The drive was jointly conducted by the volunteers of UWLPC Manipur, Staff of Range Forest Office Kakching, forest staff of Waikhong and Pallel Beat Offices and a police team led by Hiyanglam PS OC.
During the drive, at least 57 bird trapping nylon nets were removed. Unfortunately, 19 migratory birds of different species which were trapped in the nets were spotted dead, the release stated.
In connection with the drive, UWLPC Manipur president S Premkumar said that several migratory birds which spotted at large numbers some few years ago at the wetlands of Manipur have become extinct due to non stop catching and poaching.
There is a report that bird trapping activities are increasing at the surrounding places of Loktak lake too, he said, adding that it is high time to take up legal action against those lawbreakers by the authorities concerned.
The number of poachers is also increasing day by day as no stringent actions were taken up against those perpetrators in time, he said.
Stressing that trapping and poaching of migratory birds should be stopped at any cost, he appealed to those who are engaged in selling of wild birds to choose an alternative job.
The UWLPC extended gratitude to the police personnel teams of Hiyanglam PS for helping in the drive.
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