Cotton Pygmy Goose rescued, five held in Biswanath

Five people were arrested for allegedly hunting wild birds in the northern range of Kaziranga National Park in Assam’s Biswanath district, following a tip-off received by forest officials, sources said on Wednesday.

Officials said the operation was launched after receiving “specific inputs” about suspected bird trapping at Bholakata Beel , a wetland area in the region. While confirming that the action was based on a credible alert, authorities did not disclose the identity of the person who provided the information, citing standard practices to protect informers.

The accused have been identified as Md. Saiful Islam , Anwar Hussain , and Tamsar Ali from Nonkey Japoriguri, Abul Hussain from Borjharoni, Gingia, and Phukir Ali from Brahmaputra Chapori, Gingia.

A live wild bird, suspected to be a Cotton Pygmy Goose , a species listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 was rescued during the raid. Forest personnel also seized a fishing net, two mobile phones, a torch, and two white bags from the accused.

Officials said there is no recent official record of mass deaths or natural die-offs of Cotton Pygmy Geese in the region, but acknowledged that the species faces pressure from habitat degradation and illegal hunting. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, and further investigation is underway.

The forest department said it remains committed to curbing wildlife crime in and around Kaziranga and urged the public to report suspicious activities, assuring that the identities of informers would continue to be kept strictly confidential.