KARACHI: Interim Chief Minister Maqbool Baqar on Friday directed the wildlife department to take appropriate measures to protect migratory birds.

“These birds are considered our guests, and we must protect them,” he said while presiding over a meeting of the wildlife department.

He said the community lands that were treasures of wildlife must be protected and the department should make conservation arrangements with the community for game bird hunting areas in dry zone, wetlands, areas of high-water quality or scenic value, areas that contain soils, generally not listed for cultivation.

He said the conservation arrangement should be aimed at promoting ecotourism, scientific and controlled game management, including native biodiversity and trophy hunting.

The CM was told that every year Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora and the federal government allocated trophy hunting quotas for the Community Based Trophy Hunting Programme in respective provinces.

The quota for trophy hunting season 2023-24 was approved in the meeting of the CITES Management Authority of Pakistan held in July 2023. The minimum reserved price has also been rescheduled, accordingly. Exportable urial and Sindh Ibex are to be sold to foreigners at $20,000, and Sindh Ibex at $6000, whereas five trophies of Ibex for Pakistani hunters at Rs400,000.

The CM was told that the data revealed that there were 66 male Ibex out of 1,838 with exploitable horn sizes of 35 inches and above, and 49 urial out of 1,104 with exploitable horn size of 22 inches and above available for trophy hunting.

Wildlife Secretary Najam Shah told the CM that the trophy hunting was not carried out in protected areas (national parks and wildlife sanctuaries), but only at game reserves, and private and state lands.

He said the period from October to March represented non-breeding season for game birds, making it a technically suitable time for their legal, ethical, responsible and sustainable harvest.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2023