Hunters eradicate bushes to drive away bird predators
Rahim Yar Khan:
As temperatures rise in the Cholistan desert, drought conditions have set in, and some people have started clearing large tracts of bushland to set up hunting camps.
According to local residents, acacia trees in particular were cut down near Chakra Toba.
According to resident Meher Asad, the main reason for eradicating plants from the area is that the plants hide foxes and jackals that prey on bustards.
He said that during Cholistan's dry season, deer eat plants to supplement the lack of water in ponds during droughts.
Additionally, various types of insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals depend on plants for survival. Most important for them is shade to protect the plants from the sun and desert heat.
Another resident said desert foxes, jackals, wolves and cats had been hunted in the past to prevent them from preying on migratory Houbara bustards. The bird was preserved for hunting tours.
He pointed out that the black deer has become extinct in Cholistan, which is spread over 6.6 million acres. The number of other types of deer in the area has also declined to less than 3,500.
Cutting down shrubs and trees to fuel fires in kilns also contributes to climate imbalance. The Cholistan Development Authority does not have sufficient resources to protect wildlife in vast areas.
Wildlife conservation officials said wild trees in the path of traffic have also been cut down since the recent accident. One man was killed after his car crashed into a tree near Rahim Yar Khan.
Published in Express Tribune May 10thth2024.
