December 25, 2020

A recent report on poaching hornbills, which are listed as an endangered species under the Biodiversity and Conservation of Protected Area Law, in Kyauktaga Township, Bago Region, hit the headlines and has alerted us that the endangered species is under the threat of hunters.
Public weakness of knowledge about endangered species has been a big blow to our avian heritage for decades.
Local people don’t know about the law which gives protection to endangered species in our country.
Those who poach or sell protected wildlife, possess the wildlife or its part without permission, or traffic or transfer them, will face no more than five years in prison, a fine of K300,000 to K1,000,000, or both.
Now, migratory birds from foreign countries are coming to our country for hibernation since the winter began in November.
To protect the visiting migratory birds from hunting, authorities have sought to educate local residents by erecting billboards warning not to kill the birds, which eat harmful snails in paddy fields every year.

Migratory birds from Russia, Siberia, and northern China are found in the winter in large lakes, such as Indawgyi Lake in Kachin, Palake Lake and Taungthaman Lake in Mandalay Region, Meiktila Lake in Meiktila, Moeyungyi Lake in Bago Region and some lakes in southern Myanmar.
Local authorities have erected signboards at the wetland areas, warning residents not to kill migratory birds. Authorities also perform surprise checks at local markets to prevent the sales of migratory birds, while raising awareness about these birds. This is a good job to conserve and give protection to avian visitors in which endangered species are also included, but these efforts should be expanded from just wetland areas and just in winter to habitat areas of other species of birds the whole year.
Our country is home to 331 endangered species, according to the latest research by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), including birds, orangutans, elephants, deer, freshwater turtles, pangolins and tigers.
In our country, more than 300 species are facing the threat of extinction.
Our failure to effectively enforce the law should not give hunters and people with little knowledge about endangered species a free pass to continue destroying our endangered species until there is nothing left.

GNLM