‘Wildlife protection force’ in the offing

Wildlife dept will embark on groundbreaking zoological survey aimed at protecting animals

RAWALPINDI:

The Department of Wildlife Conservation will be conducting a zoological survey of wild animals which will help create a “wildlife protection force”, that would be in charge of breeding endangered species of wild animals.

The zoological survey will collect computerised data of all species and numbers of animals present in all public and private forests and national parks of Punjab, including the biodiverse regions of Rawalpindi division. Data for each division’s forests will be separately organised and details of animals found will be collected and computerised. Special funds will be allocated in the new budget for this survey.

Data of wild deer, nilgai, chinkara, wildebeest, fox, jackal, tiger, cheetah, elephant, wild sheep, monkey, leopard, giraffe, urial, zebra and aquatic wild animals will also be collected. After the data collection, steps will be taken to breed the wild animals as needed to conserve each species.

The zoological survey of wild animals will start in the July to August period. This survey will be completed in three to four months. Separate teams will survey the regions of South Punjab, Central Punjab and North Punjab.

This survey will compile data for each area division separately for more descriptive statistics. Following the data compilation, breeding measures and suitable environments will be developed in all surveyed forests.

Currently, the Wildlife Department is suffering from a shortage of staff. About 50% of its positions are vacant, due to which the department’s staff cannot carry out operations against illegal poachers.

The plan is to provide the recruits who will make up the wildlife protection force weapons, walkie-talkies and motorcycles for jungle field duty.

Wildlife Department Deputy Director, Zahid Ali said that the first zoological survey of wild animals has been approved by Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb. Work has been started in this regard and the survey will be started within the next three months as funds are made available.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2024.