ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) confiscated a mounted Ibex trophy, a preserved Ibex head, from a dealer who was trying to sell it through social media.

“The dealer was demanding Rs65,000 for the trophy so we made a deal with him for Rs60,000. After the deal was made, the dealer called us to a house in Bhara Kahu. Our team members reached there, confiscated the trophy and arrested the dealer,” IWMB Chairman Dr Anisur Rehman told Dawn.

He said that the dealer’s father insisted on coming with his son and while they were being shifted to a location for further investigation and to record a statement, the father suffered a heart attack due to which the dealer was given permission to take his father to the hospital.

“The dealer has promised to join the investigation as soon as his father is out of danger. As he failed to provide a license, it is a case of illegal hunting,” he said.

To a question, Dr Rehman said illegal wildlife trade is the third most lucrative business after the drug trade and human trafficking across the globe.

“As Ibex is included in category II of International Trade Ban, there is a ban on hunting it without a license and only 40 to 50 licences are issued by the government every year. The license fee to hunt one Ibex is Rs500,000 and hunters can sell the mounted trophy,” he said.

He said that most of the organs and parts of animals are transported to China from Africa and some countries of Asia.

“From Pakistan, fat, the gall bladder, liver and other organs of bears are smuggled to China. Tortoise, birds, etc are also smuggled to different countries. Over the years we have confiscated a number of animals and birds including a live leopard. The Alexandrine parrot has almost vanished from the forests of Pakistan,” he said.

Pakistan issues only nine licenses to hunt the Markhor and 50 are issued for hunting Ibex, he added.

“However illegal hunting continues and their body parts such as skin and heads/horns are sold. As most of the selling is done through social media we have deputed a dedicated team to keep a check on social media and take appropriate action against dealers,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2019