Rawalpindi:
Punjab Wildlife Department has enforced new license and breeding fees for private storage and trade in wild and pet animals that immediately affect the parrot trade.
After the new fee, the license to keep parrots is set to RS1,000. Following the fee message, these parrots have disappeared from the markets and have been moved to stocks for the sale of the black market.
At Rawalpindi, the two bird-and-expensive markets on Alam Khan Road and Pirwadhai have been asked to comply with and prominent show licenses.
Wildlife Department in Rawalpindi said fees for large wild cats and other wildlife such as lions, cheetahs, tigers, large cats, jaguars and pumas are set to RS50,000, while the PET parrot fee is RS1,000, and paper breeding and business are RS10,000.
According to the department, only four parrot species are subject to breeding and business license fees. Alexandrine parrot, rose-ring parakeet, silver-headed parrot and plum-headed parrot.
These four are native local races and were threatened; The measures are intended to support their propagation.
Pakistan hosts many parrot species, but these four are most prominent, commercially significant and in danger.
Alexandrine -Pauling is the largest and most valuable – green -stalled with a red patch on the shoulder and the man wearing a pink collar; Historically decorative in royal courts, it is still considered precious.
The rose -ried or “mithu” is the parrot that mimics speech and is a child’s companion; An adult bird can sell for RS25,000 to RS50,000. The rose -ringing is the most common breed. The tap has a black-light red ring on the neck.
Its wild population is rapidly declining. The gray-headed (Laty-headed) parrot is lesser known and residents northern hilly areas; Its gray head separates it.
In winter it goes down in valleys and bird enthusiasts it praises. The plum -headed parrot is among the most attractive species – the tap with a pink head and the woman with a bluish tint; Due to its beauty, it is sold at a high price to bird lovers and a few can bring RS15,000 to RS20,000 on the market.
The greatest threats to these species are illegal hunting and smuggling; Deforestation has also contributed to their decline. Now, after payment of RS1,000 per Parliament fee, breeders are issued in Punjab licenses.
Although the caught breeding increases, the four species subject to the fee have disappeared from the markets.
The Wildlife Department is conducting Raids to find them, but these parrots have been removed from Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi markets to get secret warehouses and are sold privately to trusted pet owners.
Imported Australian or other foreign parrots are not affected by this new regulation.
The rules of the provincial government apply only to local parrot species. Commercial Business License Fees for Birds and Animal Stores have been set to RS30,000 and RS50,000.
The RS50,000 license includes birds and wild pet animals. Fayzan Ali, Secretary of PET Animals & Birds -Detailers -Butiksjerikersforeningen said the company was already fighting and that these taxes and fees will further depress the trade and drive transactions underground.
He urged the government to collect only a general license fee and effectively tax the company rather than push it for secrecy.
