The issue of excessive poaching of parakeet species in and around the DVNP in
Bhimber district in AJK. Over the past decades, due to uncontrolled netting and
poaching of parrots in and around the DVNP, parrots have significantly reduced nesting
in the entire region, resulting in a steep decline in parakeet species recorded and
observed in wild populations in Pakistan. Public was restricted from a large area along
Army controlled areas of the LOC, where junior staff was involved in poaching.
Department of wildlife and HWF staff have since been permitted to survey the area,
report any illegal activity with the full support of military authorities, and ensure that no
one involved in such illegal activity would be spared. The local administration was also
very cooperative, and at the request of the director of wildlife, section 144 was imposed
for a period of two months. Advertisements on the internet for the sale of wild-caught
Alexandrine parrots was noted by our project supervisor Mr. Mohebullah and a raid was
conducted with the cooperation of Punjab Wildlife in the Kotli area bordering AJK.
Twenty wild caught Alexandrine parakeets were confiscated and shifted under a court
order to the Islamabad Wildlife Management
Board Rescue Center in Islamabad. After veterinary clearance, 11 healthy parrots were
released back into the wild on March 20, 2023. A report has been shared with the
GoAJK with the following recommendations:
- Nineteen challans were issued in the last 3 months, and there is no prosecution or
adequate fine - To better understand the poaching phenomena, a socio-economic survey is in
progress to determine the scale of the problem and benefits and advantages to
poachers.
