The beautiful bird that is being endangered
In my language (Aceh) I call it 'Meunom' (Gallicrex cinerea) is a kind of bird originating from Rallidae species. This bird is a wild animal that live in swamp or rice field
I took this picture from a farmer's hand. What a beautiful bird! I tried to persuade him to get the bird. But the farmer refused. He said the bird was ordered by his pregnant wife. I stared at the bird sadly, imagining his fate that would soon end up as the main menu at the dinner table.
Before separating, I had heard a little story of the farmer about the bird. He said, 'meunom' (called in our language) is a bird that has a habitat in areas where there is a lot of water such as swamps and rice fields. He and several other swamp species are easy targets for bird hunters. Many people chase him for his own consumption or sale. If in the countryside, the selling price is not too high, but if they can be a supplier for restaurants in the city. They will earn a lot. Because the meat of swamp birds is one of the favorite menu in the restaurants.
I think it doesn’t need to take a scientific research to propose a hypothesis that this species of bird is being endangered due to several things, such as: 1. The high level of hunting for the bird. Not only the birds, the eggs also become the target, 2. The use of land for the development area and for agricultural land that shifts the original habitat of this animal, 3. This animal is also difficult to maintain because it has the nature of the timid and love to hide the bird is very difficult to find. And the last is that no regulation protects them. So people with all their interests are free to exploit them.
Nowadays, it is still possible to meet this bird even though it is difficult. But imagine the decades ahead. If no one cares, it is not something impossible that future generations will only recognize it through pictures only.