Many species of birds are disappearing due to the use of pesticides
Various species of birds are disappearing from Faridpur due to the use of harmful pesticides on crops and climate change. Once upon a time, the people of the village would wake up to birds chirping.
Birds that are disappearing include Dove, Weavers, Tailorbird, woodpecker, fiasco, cuckoo, White-breasted waterhen, Kingfisher, Indian cuckoo, Lesser whistling duck, grey heron, gray quail, Parrots, Cormorant, many other unnamed birds.
According to the sources of the district animal resources department, since the nineties, herbicides, pesticides, and land-use chemicals, along with highly polluting Indian pesticides, have been used in large parts of the cropland of the Faridpur district. On the other hand, due to climate change and the lack of bird sanctuaries, birds cannot breed.
Aynal Mridha, a veteran farmer of Saltha Upazila in Faridpur, said, “We did not use pesticides on the land before. As a result, all kinds of birds used to roam in the field at that time. However, now all those birds are no longer seen.”
In this regard, the locals said, “Once upon a time, people of this region woke up to birds chirping. As the number of birds decreases daily, they are no longer visible.
” They also said, “People are increasing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on their land, as a result of which the breeding of bird-eating insects in the crop fields has decreased.”
Some bird experts in the district said that tying earthen pots to trees can increase the breeding of birds so that the birds can safely hatch eggs.
Dr. AKM Asjad, District livestock officer, said, “The continuous use of pesticides causes poisoning in the animal body. As a result, birds are disappearing. However, we should consider increasing the habitat for birds.
Apart from this, the administration and local conscious people should keep a watchful eye to prevent the birds from hunting.
We should focus on reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, and increasing the use of organic fertilizers will increase the reproduction of grasshoppers, insects, and spiders on the land, and the birds will be able to survive by eating them.”
Courtesy: গ্রীন পেইজ Green Page (Bengali)
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