Culling of Cormorants in Kerala: plans put off

September 11, 2009

Culling plans put off

;Statesman News Service

Thiruvananthapuram, 10 Sept: Kollam district panchayat has made a U-turn over

its decision to check the population of a fish-eating bird called Cormorant

(Phalacrocorax niger) covered under the Wild Life Protection Act.

Earlier this month, the District Planning Committee and Integrated District

Development Plan (IDDP) of Kollam had brought out a report that blamed the

birds’ voracious appetite for the depleting fish in inland waterbodies.

The report mentioned that the little cormorant population is estimated to be at

around 1 lakh birds and that a scheme would be implemented ~ with the help of

the Kerala fisheries department ~ at the cost of Rs 4 lakh to cull 70 per cent

of the birds in 21 gram panchayats. The money was for purchasing air guns and

training anyone interested to earn Rs 5 per kill. Mr K Somaprasad, Kollam

district panchayat president, said the administration had not cleared the

proposal as it was still in a draft stage and was only meant for the

consideration of Local Self-Government Institutions.

He, however, stood by the report and said: “Of the eight causes identified for

depleting fish in the water bodies, the Cormorants takes top place. Earlier

reports show that there were 97 species of fish in the Astamudi lake, this

figure dwindled to 57 in the start of the millennium and now there are only 37

varieties. These birds have no predators and therefore thrive in this region,”

he said, adding that the government must devise a scheme in accordance with the

Wild Life Act to restore the marine ecosystem in the district.

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Thank you for your compassion !

With best regards,

Debasis Chakrabarti

Compassionate Crusaders Trust

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