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Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Town bans bird hunting for 10 months
SAGADA, Mountain Province -- Local officials temporarily prohibited "ikik" or bird hunting in this town for fear of catching migratory birds that could be carriers of the bird flu virus.
Municipal Council Resolution 48-05 prohibits all forms of bird hunting particularly "ikik" in the municipality of Sagada for 10 months, starting August 2005 to May 2006.
The resolution states "the bird flu virus continues to spread to neighboring Asian countries and that there is a possibility that the virus will affect the Philippines."
Sagada Mayor Roberto Baaten, in his memorandum, urged all barangay captains to disseminate the resolution to their respective constituents saying Sagada is one of the destinations of migratory birds that might be carriers of the bird flu virus. Citing health reports, Baaten said the bird flu or the avian flu virus does not only affect chicken or the fowl industry but also humans.
Rovaldine Dagacan, executive assistant to the mayor, said the Department of Health and the Municipal Health Office personnel led by Municipal Health officer Evelyn Capuyan begun conducting series of information campaign on the threat that the bird flu poses to the residents of Sagada.
Dacagan added that municipal employees alternately stay late at night along the path leading to the mountains to prevent insistent bird hunters or "ikikers" in catching bird, mostly migratory birds.
"Ikik" is a bird hunting practice of bird hunters from the south central barangays of Sagada, which is usually done in the months of August to December just in time for the exodus of migratory birds from other countries.
To trap the birds, the hunters put on their lanterns or build fire in the evening on the mountain ridge at Mt. Ampacao, Sagada. Birds like insects are attracted to the light. When birds draw near the light, a net is hurled catching the birds in mass.
These migratory birds get out from their countries of origin to escape the severe winter and scarcity of food.
(October 25, 2005 issue)
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