'Enforcement deterioration' deplored

BirdLife has called on the government to curb illegal hunting because it feels there has been a deterioration in enforcement.

Reports of illegal hunting have increased as spring bird migration gains momentum, BirdLife said.

The NGO said it has already got reports of the illegal hunting of kestrels, marsh harriers and herons.

Last week hunters took to sea to hunt waterfowl, ignoring a ban on sea hunting aimed at cutting the risk of contracting avian flu, BirdLife said.

In the wake of a substantial drop in arraignments over illegal hunting last year, BirdLife appealed to the police to mobilise more officers to deal with the problem.

Last year the police arraigned 289 people on allegations of violating hunting laws, as against 475 the year before. The police arraigned 326 people in 2000, 296 in 2001 and 364 in 2003.