SUKKUR, July 25: Wildlife Department, Sukkur & Larkana Division, arrested 1,100 illegal hunters and poachers and imposed a fine of Rs0.790 million on them during the year 2005-06, said deputy conservator in a statement on Monday.

He said that the department formed different raiding parties during the hunting season to patrol and combat illegal hunting and poaching.

The parties arrested 1,100 illegal hunters and poachers including some influential men red-handed and challaned them under Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1972. They were fined up to Rs0.790 million and later released on surety, he said.

He said that the department issued 114 shooting permits to law-abiding hunters for Rs0.228 million, 6,684 possession licenses against a payment of Rs1.681 million and collected Rs2.780 as revenue from different sources during July 2005 to June 2006.

The department also carried out a comprehensive survey of Indus Blind Dolphin, established wildlife information centres in Sukkur, Guddu, Lungh and Drigh Lakes, Larkana and Deh Akro-II Wildlife Sanctuary, Nawabshah to make people aware about the importance of wildlife.—Correspondent