Rare species: Bid to smuggle peacocks foiled

A man named Bux has reportedly been fined Rs20,000 and his property has been confiscated.

SUKKUR: A man trying to smuggle rare species of peacocks from Punjab to Karachi was arrested by the Shahbaz Rangers near Kot Sabzal at the Sindh-Punjab border on Friday night.

Rangers found 15 peacocks being smuggled by Mohammad Bux while checking vehicles at the National Highway and handed them over to the Sukkur wildlife department. Bux has reportedly been fined Rs20,000 and his property has been confiscated. The department’s deputy conservator, Ghulam Muhammad Gadani, told The Express Tribune that the peacocks belong to a rare breed which is usually found in the Lal Sonhara National Park. Gadani said that people in Punjab also like to keep them as pets but they need to get a license first. According to Gadani, Karachi is a big market for such birds as people are willing to pay high prices for them. The wildlife department plans to release the peacocks in the national park near Ghotki.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2012.