Punjab Wildlife officials arrest U-tuber over birds' illegal sale

LAHORE: The wildlife department officials conducted a raid in Chuhang area here against an inter-provincial network of sale and purchase of partridges, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The team of the Punjab Wildlife department headed by D.G. Wildlife busted the online network of sale and purchase of partridges allegedly run by a U-tuber Mazhar Iqbal.

The wildlife officials arrested Mazhar Iqbal, who was selling eggs, chicks as well as grown up partridges online, a spokesperson of the wildlife department stated.

“Accused Mazhar Iqbal was bringing partridges from Nawabshah in Sindh and selling birds in Punjab,” department spokesman said.

“Partridges seized in the raid will be shifted to Lahore Safari Park for their proper rehabilitation,” spokesman added.

Partridge is ground-dwelling non-migratory bird. It is also found in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Due to the rapid climate change in Pakistan, the species of this rare bird has been endangered to extinction.

Disruption in the natural food cycle has affected the unique black partridge negatively.

The black partridge is famous for its high-pitched chirping sound. It was found in agriculture fields and forests quite until recently. However, its numbers have dropped persistently, and now few sightings are reported occasionally in some areas.

The IUCN has specifically evaluated black partridge as vulnerable on its red list of threatened species. The grey partridge is also not safe in the environment because of overhunting, habitat loss and disturbance in its natural diet cycle.

In Sindh officials say the partridge is safe only in some protected areas mainly Nara Valley, Achhro Thar and parts of barrage areas, where local chieftains have declared ban on poaching and hunting.