103 held for illegal hunting in 2021

RAWALPINDI:

The Wildlife Department Rawalpindi Division arrested 103 persons for the illegal hunting of birds and animals and imposed a fine on as many as 653 hunters in 2021.

The wildlife department imposed a fine of Rs680,350 on poachers and recovered eight monkeys, three bears, 55 chicks, 2,200 quails, 5,000 birds, 2,000 wild birds and animals. The wild department released all the recovered birds and animals in the forest.

The wildlife department has issued orders to expedite operations against hunters, wild bird sellers and vendors selling pets and birds. All vendors have been given a deadline to renew their licences.

Instructions have also been issued for strict monitoring of hunters in the forests across the division and arrest of hunters, registration of cases and confiscation of all wild birds and animals.

During the last year, a certificate of appreciation was announced for Wildlife Inspector Rawalpindi Amjad Abbasi, who imposed a fine of Rs19,15,800 and issued 182 challans to poachers.

The department has also approved a plan for wildlife conservation and wildlife augmentation in the new year. It has also been decided to take action against poachers in the Rawalpindi division.

Read: "Police arrest suspected 'killer' of AJK leopard"

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2022.