Over 125 illegal hunting cases registered in Punjab

Action against poaching intensified in migratory bird season

LAHORE:

More than 125 cases of wild bird poaching have been registered in police stations across Punjab during the ongoing falcon and quail hunting season.

According to a spokesperson for Punjab Wildlife Rangers, over 300 wild birds have been rescued from poachers and released back into their natural habitat.

The official said enforcement actions in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Jhang, the Salt Range and South Punjab had unearthed unlawful netting and trapping of quails, partridges and parrots.

Chief Wildlife Ranger Mubeen Elahi said the operation would continue and violators would face strict legal consequences without exception.

Species such as falcons are often targeted by traffickers for lucrative markets in the Middle East, despite being protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Conservationists warn that unchecked poaching not only threatens biodiversity but also undermines Pakistan's international obligations under global wildlife treaties.

With the migratory bird season currently at its peak, wildlife experts underline that continued vigilance is crucial to safeguarding species that travel across continents, many of which are already under pressure due to habitat loss and climate change.

Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Dr Ghulam Rasool said falcons and quails are among the migratory species arriving in Pakistan from early August. These birds are typically found near rivers, lakes and water channels, making them easy targets during their breeding season when poachers and hunters exploit their vulnerability.

He said the riverine and hilly areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, as well as the Salt Range in Sargodha and Khushab, are known habitats of falcons. Hunters often employ cruel methods, such as tethering other birds as bait or using nets, to trap them.

Quails are concentrated in Punjab's central districts. Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal and Vehari are major breeding grounds due to their agricultural landscapes, where quail hunting is widespread. Quail farming, particularly on the outskirts of Lahore and Kasur, has also become a commercial activity.

Additionally, cotton and wheat fields in Faisalabad, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh, as well as farms in Multan and Khanewal, provide habitats for quails, making them easy prey for hunters.

A leader of the Pakistan Hunters' Association, Mastanir Afzal Lodhi, said falcons captured in Punjab and Sindh are often transported to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, especially Tank, where they are auctioned.