LAHORE: United Arab Emirates (UAE) Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced to gift 18 lions and tigers, worth Rs100 million, to Lahore zoo of Pakistan in the coming week.
To tackle the adversely affected problem like extinction and illegal hunting of animals, Punjab Wildlife Department submitted a law draft to the government to impose strict fines and punishments.
An amendment in Punjab Wildlife Act 2007 was proposed to increase the period of maximum imprisonment for illegal hunting two to five years, while the minimum imprisonment should be set at three years with minimum fine of Rs50,000.
UAE are gifting these animals to Punjab Wildlife Department for the purpose of breeding in order to prevent extinction.
Animals will include five white tigers, six Bengal tigers and eight African lions, Climate Advisor Amin Aslam expressed.
Amin Aslam said that the animals will be imported from Al-Nakheel Wildlife Center of UAE through a special C-130 plane to Lahore.
UAE will also bear the customs duty and CAA charges for the wild animals.
According to sources, wildlife department is also expected to start a breeding program in Cholistan area of Chankara with the help of UAE whereas a 25-acre land was also allotted to UAE in Murree to open a falcon farm for breeding purpose.
