Bird Conservation Initiatives, Patna Declaration, CITES, Wildlife Protection Action Act and Bilogical Diversity

The international workshop on "Bird Conservation Initiatives in India with special focus on illegal hunting, taking and trade of birds-conservation and management issues and concerns – South Asian Regional Perspective" adopted 'Patna Declaration'. Among other aspects, the declaration states that a task force on illegal killing, taking, and trade of migratory birds in the South Asian region will be established, to facilitate the implementation of guidelines and action plans, and to consider the necessity of new recommendations to respond to specific problems. 

Its main purpose is to curb the illegal killing, taking and trade of wild and migratory birds. The declaration envisages collaboration between countries and organisations along the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) and East Asian Australasian Flyway (EAAF). The declaration underlined the need for enforcement of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Wildlife Protection Action Act, 1972.

The 3-day international workshop deliberated on ways to combat illegal hunting and trade of birds in the Central Asian Flyway. The workshop had delegates from eight countries-including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, and Singapore, the Netherlands.