Nets spread to ward off birds cut short their flight

Several birds were killed after getting entangled in nylon nets that were spread to cover and protect a farm of fruit-bearing trees at a village near Ganjam in the taluk.

Following a complaint by the bird lovers, the Forest department personnel on Tuesday visited the two-acre farm near Gumbaz, and arrested farm owner Andanaiah and his son Raghav. The Forest officials cleared the net, that was covering the farm bearing rose apple and guavas.

Raghav has been arrested under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and  remanded in judicial custody.
Carcasses of cuckoo, bats, wild pigeons, parakeets, spotted owl, bulbul and sun birds that were stuck in the nets were removed and handed over to the Veterinary department for investigation.

DFO Dhananjay, RFO Munikrishna and DRFO Anandagowda visited the spot. DRFO Anandagowda told DH that the net had been spread around six months ago leading to the death of rare birds. As Andanaiah’s son Raghav confessed that he had covered the farm with the net to keep away stray monkeys, he was also arrested.