Wildlife sanctuaries’ demarcation vital

LAHORE
The sanctuaries of wildlife and birds are changing due to climatic changes and rapidly growing population due to which the demarcation of areas, declared safe for game reserves and wildlife, has become essential so that their breeds could be protected and breeding increased.
This was stated by Director General Wildlife and Parks Khalid Ayaz Khan while addressing a hunters’ seminar held first time in the history of the department on Tuesday. Honorary Game Warden Punjab Shahrukh Butt, Nawab of Kalabagh Malik Abdul Waheed and legal hunters from across the province as well as officers of the department were also present.
He said the basic purpose of this seminar is to promote legal hunting as a regular sports. He said the Wildlife Department is serious in resolving the problems being faced by legal hunters and a strategy is being finalised in this regard. He said the short, medium and long-term policies are being evolved for promoting legal and discouraging illegal hunting which will be implemented soon.
Khalid Ayaz Khan said it has been decided to computerise the record of hunters having shooting licences and all their record will be made online. He said the record of any hunter can be checked by pressing a button of the computer in the province. He said the weapons of the hunters will also be entered while computerising the record of legal hunters. He said that 350 centres exist in the province where illegal business of purchasing and selling of wildlife and birds are being done secretly. He said the owners of these centres are being made bound to get licences.
The DG Wildlife said the department has 295 field staff in the province which includes watchers, inspectors, supervisors, district officers and directors. He said that 52,24000 acres land is under the supervision of the department and it is impossible to supervise such a vast area due to shortage of staff.
He said the help of legal hunters will be sought in this regard and the illegal hunters will be arrested on the information provided by them. Khalid Ayaz Khan said that a coordinated strategy is being evolved for resolving the problems of legal hunters. He said the arrangements about holding of a hunting trophy in December in Cholistan is being considered.