DERA GHAZI KHAN: Residents of a village shot dead one of the two wolves which had killed some domestic animals and donkeys and scared the populace during the past few months.

People had traced the presence of a pair of wolves in the arid zone in the last few months after they killed animals and at last succeeded in shooting one of them near Shartiwah, an area adjacent to Jogiani village of Chot Bala.

A WWF member, Attaullah Birmani, who has been working for the protection of wild animals, claims that he informed the wildlife department about the pair of wolves but it failed to pay attention and ensure its protection. The WWF, he says, suggested permanent vigilance of wolves but it was not done and the villagers had to protect themselves on their own.

Mr Birmani told this correspondent that villagers had been looking for the wolves for the last few months as their domestic animals were not safe. He said one of the wolves finally came under the attack and succumbed to gunshots. He said it was for the wildlife department to find out and protect its cubs.

The WWF volunteer said wolves thrived on population of white donkeys which were set free for natural breeding at Gora, a place located between Sakhi Gor Bakhsh, Phirah Chitri and Fort Munro.

FINED: Wildlife department apprehended 33 poachers for illegal hunting of migratory birds in Rajanpur district and slapped more than Rs0.4 million fine.

According to officials, the district police nabbed three parties comprising 33 poachers involved in illegal hunting of cranes on the report of wildlife department in Rajanpur.

Rajanpur District Police Officer Ghulam Mubashar Maikin told Dawn that a police party was dispatched along with wildlife department officials to arrest poachers who were involved in illegal occupation at different locations in the district.

Wildlife Deputy Director Hasan Ali Sukhaira said the department slapped a total of Rs0.4 million fine on the arrested poachers, before sending them back to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa via Triman check post.

He said a team of wildlife department had been deployed at the post to check poachers, sneaking into DG Khan and Rajanpur for illegal hunting.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2016