Pakistani people even steal Azad Kashmir birds

Pakistani people even steal Azad Kashmir birds

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2015

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Wildlife Department officials and some volunteers caught two illegal bird catchers in the early hours of Friday and handed them over to the police in Bhimber district.

The two men were identified as Mohammad Anwar of Wazirabad, Punjab and Sufyan from Bandala Samahni.

Chaudhry Mohammad Razzaq, the director of AJK Wildlife department, said Mohammad and Sufyan were about to board a bus to Lahore when Wildlife Department staff and volunteers caught up with them in Bandala Samahni. He said 22 parakeets of different species were recovered from their possession.

“Last night someone saw three people with bird trapping equipment. On hearing about this, our team set up a vigil and managed to get hold of two of the men. The third man managed to escape,” he said.

The director said that the parakeets, some plum headed and others rose ringed, were trapped in Bandala Samahni Valley employing a technique where nets and lizards are used. The trapped birds were set free in the presence of local media Friday morning.

Mr Razzaq said plum headed parakeets were on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species and made good money for bird catchers.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2015

http://www.dawn.com/news/1215201/illegal-bird-catchers-caught