Hessarghatta Lake now poachers' paradise

Hessarghatta Lake now poachers' paradise
Vijay Times

Hessarghatta lake which was once the pride of the City is now a poachers paradise with locals openly indulging in hunting of hundreds of migratory birds which have arrived here as winter visitors.

A few rare and long distance migratory birds like white stork (European migratory bird), Bar headed geese (migrates from China or Ladakh), spot billed pelicans (IUCN red listed species) and others arrive here in the winter every year and feast upon plenty of fish available in the shallow water of the lake. But, unfortunately the lake is an unguarded place for these winged visitors.

"People walk into the lake with guns and nets and there is nobody from the forest department to stop them," says Manjunath P, a regular bird watcher at the lake.