Illegal hunt: Two men arrested for hunting Ibexes

GILGIT: Police have rounded up five persons who illegally hunted two endangered Ibexes and recovered meat from their possession in one of Gilgit-Baltistan’s remote valleys, sources said on Wednesday. The hunting took place in Karambar Valley of Ghizer district, about 200 kilometres from Gilgit. The status of Ibex, whose hunting fee is $3,000, has been declared an endangered species internationally as it faces extinction due to excessive illegal hunting and poaching worldwide. Forest guard Javed Iqbal noticed the movement of suspected men in the valley and decided to follow them. In the course of chase, he saw the men armed with rifles shooting at two Ibexes in the Karambar Nullah. The guard immediate informed the police and the officials of wildlife department about the incident. Police arrested the men, who confessed to killing two Ibexes during investigation. The accused also handed over meat of the dead animals and the gun to police.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2012.