The wildlife department is impassive to the brutal assassination of the migratory birds with the start of hunting time of turtle doves, native to Russia, which is on track in the upper valleys of Chitral. Hashim Baig, a district conservation member of staff from Terich, informed Dawn on Sunday that its hunting in Chitral has peaked during the month of May despite of the fact that dove was believed as a sign of harmony migrating from next-door Central Asian States of Tajikistan & Uzbekistan.
These doves are included in the game birds which can be shot by getting a hunting permit, allowing hunting of a couple of birds a day. He told that a huntsman in Chitral used to shoot more than 100 doves in 24 hours. A biodiversity expert told that the turtle dove in facing extermination as their count is speedily declining annually, all gratitude to the unrestrained and pitiless targeting.
These birds migrate from their breeding grounds in central republic Asia to the northen areas of Chitral because of the heavy rains there. The breeding period of turtle doves begin in the sixth month of year on their return to their homes. He said the illegal shooting for game can be restricted well by community enlistment which had been used in the earlier times.