A rare White-tailed Sea Eagle was rescued in Sukkur, Sindh, after allegedly being captured and injured by local hunters. Wildlife records confirm the species has an exceptionally limited presence in Pakistan.
According to a Geo News report, Haroon and his team rescued the bird in November 2025 after learning that it had allegedly been caught and held for use in hunting activities.
The report said the eagle had suffered damage to its feathers and eyes, allegedly while in captivity, raising concerns over illegal wildlife capture and the treatment of rare migratory birds.
The White-tailed Eagle is a large bird of prey typically associated with coastal areas, wetlands and large bodies of water, and is widely distributed across parts of Europe and northern Asia.
Although sightings in Pakistan are considered highly unusual, the species is not entirely unknown to the country. Current bird databases list the White-tailed Eagle in Pakistan, Sindh and Sukkur, while a scientific paper published in 1969 also documented its occurrence in what was then West Pakistan. Avibase
Questions have also been raised over how the bird reached Sindh, far from much of its usual range. However, there is currently no tracking or migration evidence establishing that conflict in the Middle East caused the eagle to lose its route and reach Pakistan.
A more scientifically cautious explanation is that the bird may have travelled unusually far because of seasonal movement, migration, weather conditions or other natural factors.
The rescue has renewed attention on the protection of rare migratory birds in Pakistan and the need to prevent their capture, trade and use for hunting.