ISLAMABAD: A poacher attempting to hunt a barking deer was on Sunday arrested from Trail 6 in the Margalla Hills National Park, who will be spending his Eid behind bars.

Two days ago, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) was alerted that somebody had killed a barking deer. As most IWMB staff were busy on fire lines and with fewer visitors in Ramazan, hunters had thought they had an open field.

Instead of increasing patrolling, the IWMB lulled illegal hunters into thinking that the trail was left unattended. Instead, IWMB hid the staff near a hunting spot.

“We caught one but the other escaped. We had found their hunting spot near a waterhole where animals gathered to drink early in the morning. The younger man who escaped initially threatened to shoot the IWMB staff with his shotgun. The other has been arrested and is in custody of the Margalla police,” Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) ChairpersonRina Saeed Khan said.

A first information report (FIR) has been registered. The poacher can face imprisonment of up to two years and a minimum fine of Rs2,000 under Section 6 of the Islamabad Wildlife Ordinance 1979, which prohibits hunting with firearms.

Ms Khan lamented that the penalty was too little. However, a heftier fine was recommended in the draft Islamabad Nature and Wildlife Management Act 2021, which was waiting for approval from parliament.

Trail 6 had been closed to the public after it was also declared a leopard zone to give the big cats freedom to roam. However, the trail has several entry and exit points and the two poachers belonging to the Talhar village had come from behind the hills.

Before IWMB was formed in 2015, hunting was frequent along the trail. Hunting declined after strict control and patrolling of the trails.

“It was important for us to catch the poachers to send a message that illegal hunting is a serious offence. The police were quick to respond when the staff called 15,” she said, adding the trails became safer for animals and hikers alike after illegal hunting declined.

At the moment, the exact number of barking deer is being studied, Ms Khan said, adding their population was healthy and not vulnerable.

Ms Khan also told Dawn that two more bear cubs had been rescued by the IWMB. There are now four bear cubs at the Islamabad zoo that has been converted into an animal rescue and rehabilitation centre. One black bear cub had been brought in from Lahore Zoo for better care. The other was brought from Azad Kashmir, a week ago, after its mother had been murdered and was discovered by locals.

The centre had released leopard cats, eagles and confiscated performing monkeys to give them a chance at freedom.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2022