After exchange of gunfire for the past many years, there is exchange of wildlife on cards between India and Pakistan. Certain wildlife species are in surplus in Punjab, while others are near extinction. The Punjab Wildlife Department has mooted a proposal to exchange wildlife species with their counterparts from the Pakistan Punjab. The exchange would primarily be of wild animals and birds.

The Punjab Chief Minister has already given a nod to the exchange and the Punjab Wildlife Department would soon shoot a letter to the Pakistan Punjab government for necessary action. While the Lahore Zoo has already been identified for the exchange, other venues would also be selected from where species would be procured, according to sources in Wildlife Department.

The Punjab government is keen to import some pairs of the state bird of Punjab, the eastern goshawk (baaz), white peacocks, porcupines and other species. While the religious significance of the eastern goshawk has been established by a committee of experts formed by the Punjab government. Due to the association of the bird with Guru Gobind Singh, it’s a prized possession and has not been spotted in parts of Punjab from long.

Talking to The Tribune, Chief Wildlife Warden Punjab, Gurbaj Singh, said that the plan has been approved at the highest level and very shortly birds, animals and other species would be identified as per norms. “We will have to see at what rate the exchange of animals as per species barter system takes place”, he added.

“We would surely like to have pairs of the state bird from Pakistan, if it is available with them,” said Punjab Minister for Forests and Wildlife, Arunesh Shakar. The Tribune was the first to highlight the plight of the state bird in December and had reported as to how the bird was nearing extinction.