Wildlife conservation: 50 black bucks, 250 chinkaras released at wildlife park

Ceremony held at Laal Sohanra National Park to mark event.

BAHAWALPUR: Fifty black bucks, 250 chinkara deer and 600 partridges were released on Wednesday in the Laal Sohanra National Park by the Punjab government and the Houbara Foundation International.

A ceremony was held at Laal Sohanra Research Centre in this regard. Abu Dhabi government’s representative Sheikh Majeed al Mansoori freed the deer and partridges.

He said that Abu Dhabi and the Pakistani governments were making efforts for the breeding Chinkara deer and partridges in Cholistan. “The research centre has been established for the protection of animals. It is a symbol of the strong relationship between the two countries,” he said.

“The wildlife protection programme was started by Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan in 1973. Under the project, 40,000 partridges have been freed so far,” he said.

Provincial Cooperatives Minister Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar said that the government had started several wildlife conservation projects in cooperation with the Houbara Foundation International.

“A safari park has been built near Laal Sohanra National Park to promote tourism. New steel cages have been installed at the research centre as well,” he said.

Minister for Forests Malik Asif said long-term steps were being taken to promote wildlife tourism in Cholistan. “The atmosphere in Cholistan is appropriate for partridges and chinkara deer,” he said.

Forests Secretary Captain (retd) Jahanzeb Khan said that the government had hired 10 forest security guards and two drivers for the Research Centre. He said that the Houbara Foundation would take control of the administration of the centre in coming months.

The officials were informed that GPS transmitters had been installed on 30 partridges for research purposes.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2015.