LAHORE: The Punjab Wildlife Department claimed to have caught 12 suspects for illegal hunting and animal smuggling, and seized 16 live ducks and several netting gears from them.

According to details, under the supervision of Mianwali Chashma Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Muhammad Hussain Gishkori, wildlife rangers recovered a consignment of ducks allegedly being smuggled to Dera Ismail Khan from one suspect during snap checking and initiated legal proceedings against him. Moreover, netting gears installed for ducks, 10 net strips, 32 bamboo poles, boats and six live ducks, were recovered from the Chashma Wildlife Sanctuary and legal action had been initiated against the suspects.

In another successful operation, Chakwal Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Mirza Abid Hussain arrested two suspects for allegedly making TikTok videos with a wild hare and imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on them and disposed of the case.

Jhelum Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Mirza Arshad Naz arrested one suspect from Dina tehsil for allegedly netting quails, seized one netting gear from him and imposed a fine of Rs92,000 on him.

Likewise, Okara Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Sarfraz Hussain chased an alleged hunting party engaged in netting falcons from the riverine area of Depalpur tehsil, recovered netting gear and registered FIRs against them at the Haveli Lakha police station.

During other operations, Khushab Assistant Chief Wildlife Ranger Fareeha Shirazi arrested four alleged falcon, duck and wild hare hunters and registered FIRs against two falcon hunters, while the other two poachers were fined Rs65,000 and their cases were disposed of.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2026