Forest Officials Seize 14 Dead Migratory Birds, Arrest 1 Hunter In Odisha’s Chilika Lake

Bhubaneswar: Forest officials have seized 14 dead migratory birds and arrested one person in this connection near Chilika lake of Odisha’s Puri district.

As per reports, a team of 12 Forest officials conducted a raid on Ghatakudi road under Brahmagiri range in the district on Saturday following a tip-off about hunting of migratory birds in the lake and sale of its meat.

During the raid, the team arrested a person and seized 14 dead birds, a two-wheeler and a mobile phone from his possession. Two other persons associated with hunting of the birds managed to escape.

The Forest officials told the media that the arrested hunter revealed during questioning that they had killed the birds to sell its meat to the people and roadside hotels in the area. The hunters were killing the birds by poisoning, they admitted.

It may be noted that lakhs of migratory birds flock Chilika lake with the onset of winter from different parts of the world to escape the biting cold in their habitations. They engage in nesting in the lake and its surrounding areas till February and then return to their own places.