Environmentalists in a flap over Tourism Selangor’s bird trapping video

PETALING JAYA: A video shared by Tourism Selangor promoting the trapping of birds has ruffled the feathers of environmentalists who say it sends the wrong message.

“The trapping of birds, licensed or otherwise, is an archaic activity which needs to be phased out, regardless of whether it is a business or social activity,” said Andrew Sebastian, chief executive of the Malaysian Ecotourism and Conservation Society.

He said bird trapping removed vital wildlife from ecosystems and was unsustainable.

“Tourism Selangor or anyone in the tourism industry is sending out the wrong signals in promoting such activities as this will open the floodgates to more poaching of birds and other wildlife,” he said.

The video on Tourism Selangor’s official Instagram page “discoverselangor” shows a man carrying out the “memikat burung” activity in Sabak Bernam.

According to the video’s description on the traditional activity, a dove is trained to attract other doves which are then trapped.

The video shows one bird being pinned down with a net.

“Tourism Selangor should be promoting and investing in more sustainable ecotourism activities like nature guiding or horticulture,” Sebastian said.

Malaysian Nature Society president Ahmad Ismail said although the birds may not be a protected species, bird trapping went against conservation efforts.

“The Wildlife Department needs to look at this and guide tourism agencies. It sends the wrong message,” he said.

Ahmad said it was better to leave the birds alone in their natural habitat and promote birdwatching instead.

Read at FMT News