RAHIM YAR KHAN: Irrigation Department employees killed more than 46 porcupines a few days ago in an operation to cull them in an effort to control breaches at banks of Dallas Branch Canal near Head Daigi.

After killing 32 adult and 14 small porcupines, employees released the information to local journalists about their “score”.

The department team, headed by Mazhar Malik, searched holes and also destroyed them to strengthen the banks from Stone No 88 to 125.

Local residents Tehsin Bukhari, Wasim and Tahir Mahmood said porcupine falls in wildlife and is a peaceful animal.

They said the irrigation employees were not authorised to kill the animals, instead they should have captured them alive to be handed over to the wildlife department.

Wildlife Assistant Director Nawaz Bhutta told Dawn that the porcupine was not an endangered specie and its killing was not a crime. He supported the killing of porcupines as they damage crops.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2022