Springing into action: Sindh bans trade of leopard geckos, scorpions

Sale of unique species has declined populations.

KARACHI: The Sindh wildlife department has finally imposed a ban on trading leopard geckos and scorpions.

According to a notification issued by the department, any person found trying to catch and sell leopard geckos or scorpions will be punished according to the existing Sindh Wildlife Laws. “The violators can be imprisoned for up to six months or be fined for up to Rs50,000 or both,” said the department’s conservator, Javed Ahmed Mahar.

Even airport and sea port officials have been requested to inform the wildlife department in case any shipment is delivered. The wildlife officials in all districts have also been directed to keep an eye on the movements of both the reptiles. Until now, trapping leopard geckos and scorpions and trading them was open to all and there were no laws to restrict traders from such illegal acts.

“Both [geckos and scorpions] are now included in the prohibited animal list,” said Mahar, adding that the field officials have been directed to lodge a case against offenders. “To trap any animal from the wild is an illegal act.”

Several people are involved in this illegal business in different parts of Sindh, including Thatta, Badin and Tharparkar. The wildlife experts said that constant trapping has highly disturbed the food chain. Most of them who don’t find reptiles according to their targeted weight kill them instead of releasing them back into the wild. The residents of these coastal areas said buyers from Karachi ask for reptiles of a certain weight and offer high rates.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2014.