Facebook becomes a thriving marketplace for threatened species of birds

One day, while scrolling down my Facebook feed, a post promoting the sale of Balihansh, or Common teal, caught my attention. The post, dated 7 February 2022, included some photos of the migratory ducks swimming in a red plastic bucket, inside a fenced courtyard. 

Wild ducks should not be swimming in an enclosure, they should be foraging in a vast wetland. 

The man who made the post, a Facebook user named Arien Robin Shan, provided his cell phone number in the post. So I called him up to know more.

Upon receiving the phone, Shan informed me that he had already sold off the four ducks for Tk8,000. 

According to Wildlife (conservation and security) Act 2012, killing, poaching, trading and unauthorised farming of at least 578 bird species, including the Common teal, are prohibited in Bangladesh. Shan had essentially committed a crime that carries a one year jail sentence and/or Tk50,000 fine. If he becomes a repeat offender, he would get three years jail and/or Tk200,000 fine.  

But if you were browsing on Facebook looking for 'wild birds', it is hard to imagine this is considered a crime in the country. 

In my search for such online sellers, I came across several groups dedicated to this trade on Facebook. They were not even trying to hide what they were up to. The groups' names, in Bangla, clearly identified which species of bird they were selling. Interestingly, most of the groups had been created in the last couple of months - the peak bird poaching season. 

Most of the birds they sell are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, more popularly known as the IUCN

Red List. For example, these online sellers have created a thriving market for Kalem (Purple swamphen), a species that is under threat due to habitat loss. 

They sell Balihansh (Common teal) and Dahuk (White-breasted Waterhen)–the population of these birds has also been dwindling due to the disappearance of wetlands. 

The sellers' premium offerings feature Titir (Black Francolin) and Kura (Watercock). IUCN has listed Titir as Possibly Extinct in Bangladesh; while Kura's population is listed as declining due to continued habitat loss and degradation.

For rearing as pets, the online vendors offer exotic China hansh (Mandarin ducks) and Pati Chokachoki (Common Shelduck), which are migratory birds. Poaching of birds of these species is strictly prohibited according to Bangladesh law. I found they sell Chandana Tia (Alexandrine parakeet), which has been declared near threatened by IUCN. 

And in one such group, I found a very active Facebook page called 'Soukhin Seller' through a series of sale posts. Each of the posts contained pictorial advertisements of live birds, with the caption urging potential buyers to contact the seller quickly.

The page operator keeps potential buyers in the loop through regular updates and news of successful deals, one such post reads: "Alhamdulillah, successfully delivered a pair of Shelducks. He [name of the buyer] paid in advance for Shelducks, Parakeets and Swamphens. The rest of the consignments will soon reach him." 

In the guise of a potential buyer, I dialled Soukhin Seller's contact number. A man introducing himself as Nazim Uddin from Chattogram received the call. I told him about my supposed requirements. Each pair of Shelducks would cost me Tk8,500. He added that the prices were fixed. I also inquired about the price of Mandarin ducks. He demanded Tk28,000 for each pair. 

He gave me his bKash account number and shared several photos and videos of some migratory birds via WhatsApp. 

Feigning ignorance, I asked him how I could take care of the wild birds. 

"You don't need to worry about avian diseases. They [migratory birds] don't even need vaccination. The rearing process of such birds is similar to poultry farming. At first, you fence a strip of land with a nylon net, then either dig a small pond or set up a water tank and plant hyacinths there. Serve the birds' poultry feed, boiled rice, wheat and grass. Not only will they survive, but they will also breed ducklings for sure." 

As our conversation went on, he eventually said if I pay him in advance, he will send a pair of Shelducks from Pabna district. As I expressed my doubts about whether he could really source the birds, Nazim confided in me that he acts like a middleman. 

From Chattogram, he communicates with parties [bird poachers] in some northern and north-eastern districts, housing vast wetlands like beel and haor. When the advance payment is done, Nazim instructs the poachers to pack the birds in a perforated carton, and to send them through an intercity bus. 

"This is illegal. That's why no courier service takes the consignment. Thanks to the intercity bus service, I can supply birds to buyers across the country. Transport staff do this in exchange for bribes," he said. 

"How can I trust you? You can easily cheat me. Or, if the birds die in transit, who will compensate me?" I asked him sceptically. In reply, Nazim said he had already supplied plenty of birds to buyers and I could verify that and added that he has received no complaint so far. 

"You can find me online round the clock. I have a large clientele and they trust me. If any of the birds die before you collect the package, inform me and I will return your money," the illegal bird trader said.

On the Soukhin Seller page, Nazim has posted several videos to show the followers how the birds are packed into cartons and delivered with the help of transport staff. 

I called a certain individual named Anik who purchased five pairs of Shelduck from Nazim two weeks ago. In return, Nazim brokered a delivery of Mandarin ducks from me and sent it to Khulna. Anik is based in Mymensingh, he also rears and sells local and exotic birds.  "I resold the Shelducks to another buyer," Anik said. 

The online market of wild birds seemed so broad and intricate that, at times, I felt lost in that maze. I found a businessman named Rezaul Karim Mintu living in Kaunia upazila of Rangpur district, who has been involved in bird trading for the last three years. He regularly advertises Swamphens for sale on some popular Facebook commerce (F-commerce) groups.  

"I started pigeon farming five years back. But pigeons are prone to diseases. After two years, I collected five pairs of Swamphen from a Mymensingh-based trader. The demand for colourful ducks and hens is growing. Currently, I have 30 pairs of Swamphen. As these 'exotic birds' are disease-resistant, I find trading them quite profitable," said Mintu over the phone. 

He added, "This [rearing exotic birds] is not a big deal. Designate a 10×8 feet room and dig a pond there. It will be enough for a mid-size Swamphen farm. The only problem is the shipment of the birds. I know this is an illegal business. However, I have not faced any legal challenge yet." 

The Department of Forest's Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) has been carrying out drives against illegal traders of wildlife since the Wildlife Act was enacted in 2012.

Law enforcement agencies restrict open sales to some extent, but appear inadequate against the F-commerce operators.

Between October 2021 and January 2022, WCCU rescued 1,330 wild animals and birds from poachers and illegal traders. Of the rescued wildlife, 65.64 percent were birds. 

"Poultry farmers are now turning into wild bird farmers and traders. A pair of wild Parakeets or Myna does not breed in an enclosure but wild ducks or hens do. It has become a challenge to differentiate between the legal and illegal ones. However, the law strictly prohibits poaching, rearing, trading and killing of wild birds, irrespective of whether they are internal or external migratory species," said WCCU wildlife inspector Ashim Mallick. 

He said in the last two months, more than five cases have been lodged against several online sellers of wild birds. None have been arrested yet. 

"Police are waiting for a court order to proceed," Mallick told the TBS. 

ABM Sarowar Alam Dipu, senior programme officer at International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) finds the online sale of wild birds 'very alarming'. 

"Previously, we saw that bird hunting and consumption were limited to a small group of people. If the online market of wild birds expands unabated, it will entertain not only bird lovers but also bird meat consumers. This should be stopped immediately. WCCU should seek help from Facebook to restrict the F-commerce sites," said Alam.