GILGIT: Two illegal hunters of Himalayan Ibex were arrested in Thala valley of Ghanche district along with the skin, meat, horn of the wild goat and the gun used in the illegal poaching.

An official of Baltistan wildlife department on condition of anonymity told Dawn on Sunday that the department was informed that Gulam Mohammad and Ilyas, two local residents, had illegally hunted a Himalayan ibex in the mountainous area of Thala village in Ghanche district recently.

He said DFO Yaqoob Ali Khan and assistant commissioner Mohammad Raza with help of local police and wildlife department personnel launched an operation and hunted down the illegal poachers.

The official said the accused had confessed to the crime, adding they would be punished and fined for illegal hunting of ibex.

Illegal hunting of the goat increases when it migrates to the plains owing to heavy snowfall in the mountains.

The wildlife official said the valley was famous for housing species like ibex, markhor and snow leopard.

He said the GB wildlife department had distributed 98 licences of trophy hunting of precious animals for foreign, national and local successful bidders for the season 2016-17. The permit was auctioned in September last year for four markhors, 80 ibexes and 14 blue sheep.

He said that a large number of foreigners and local people had been arrested while hunting illegally during the season.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2017