Wildlife officials set free two rose-ringed parakeets after confiscating them from Islamabad’s Sunday Bazaar in Jan 2020.

Illegal traders were selling the pair for nearly Rs 3,000 when the team from Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) raided the weekly bazaar.

IWMB field officer Zaheer Khan said that rose-ringed parakeets can be found in the forest around nurseries in H-9. “They can also be found in H-8 and H-11 graveyards and the Shakarparian forests that are their breeding grounds,” he added.

Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Ordinance 1979 prohibits capturing and trading in protected birds and animals, including the rose-ringed parakeet.

“Its population in Islamabad is dwindling,” the official said, adding the pair of green parrots was released in the small forested area adjacent to the nurseries.”

The IWMB said Alexandrian parrots had become extremely rare in the capital.

“Alexandrian parrots thrived and flourished in the Margalla Hills. But this talking bird can rarely be found now. We confiscated three Alexandrian parrots over a year ago which were being sold for Rs 75,000 each,” said Mr Khan.

An official in the Ministry of Climate Change said Alexandrian parrots can be found on sale online.

“In fact, quite a few species of parrots can be purchased online from websites. The government needs to ban and block any website that advertises illegal trade of birds and animals. A lot of exotic species of birds from other countries can also be found on sale at online platforms anywhere from Rs 1,200 to Rs 70,000 and even higher,” the official said.

56 pelts of endangered species seized

Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) has seized 56 pelts of endangered species worth over Rs500,000 from four garment shops in Super Market.

IWMB Assistant Director Faheem Changwani raided the shops after receiving information that illegal sale of garments made from animal hides was going on in F-6 Markaz.

He said the pelts included that of red fox, fishing cat, stoats, minks, leopard cats and wolves.

“Shopkeepers did not have permission letters to sell the garments made of pelts. All the products were confiscated,” Zaheer Changwani said.

The board has not decided as yet about the course of action to be taken against shopkeepers selling items made of animal furs illegally.

The illegal pelts were seized as per the Islamabad Wildlife Management Ordinance 1979, he added.

To a question, he said as per the ordinance the pelts were now IWMB property and could be used for education and research purposes.

Last week, field officers also confiscated a trophy of a mountain goat from a restaurant displayed on its premises.

“Though the restaurant staff claimed to have a permit, they have not produced it,” the IWMB official said.

According to sources, it has been brought to the notice of climate change ministry that some shopping places are selling animal products that are illegal to capture and hunt.

“Some shopkeepers have also been caught red handed selling items made from ivory,” the official said.