Tigress injures two near Multan as it escapes during transportation
A Bengal tigress which was being transported from Lahore to Multan by an animal dealer, Muhammad Adnan, ran away from its cage into the fields near Multan in the early hours of Sunday, DAWN has reported.
The age of Bengal tigress is reportedly about two years and its value is Rs5-6 million.
Punjab Wildlife Department Multan Deputy Director Sheikh Zahid told Dawn’s Shoaib Ahmed that the tigress was being carried in a pick-up in a cage. The incident happened when the pick-up got stuck in a muddy track on Bosan Road behind the Multan Public High School.
The cage got opened when the vehicle jerked to get out of the mud. The owner, Muhammad Adnan, called 15 but the police told him to contact the wildlife department.
The furious tigress ran into the fields and reportedly injured two persons, including a wildlife official. However, the injuries were mild. The Punjab Wildlife Department officials and a DHA Multan Zoo vet were involved in the operation to catch the tigress. It was tranquilised by a DHA Multan Zoo vet.
Animal dealer Adnan was fined Rs221,000 by the wildlife department under the Punjab Wildlife Act 1974. The tigress has been returned to the owner on payment of the fine, told Sheikh Zahid.
Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department Director General Mudassar Riaz Malik talked to the media. To a question why tigers and lions had not yet been categorised in Schedule 3 of the Punjab Wildlife Department, the DG said he had called a meeting on Monday (today) to set standards and regulate the issue of keeping tigers and lions in breeding farms and houses only. “Such animals fall in Schedule 3 and it is prohibited to keep them domestically,” he added.
Malik was asked if these animals were put in Schedule 3, what would happen to the private breeding farms having a huge number of lions and tigers. To this he responded it’s a crucial issue that would be discussed in the meeting besides all other aspects and possible licensing of such animals. To yet another question, Mr Malik said the meeting would also discuss either a new schedule or a new law.
The wildlife DG said the Captive Wildlife Management Committee had got rules approved by the cabinet and new law would be introduced under these rules.