Wanted porcupine captured in Kurdistan Region wildlife operation

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq — Kurdistan Region environmental security forces captured a fugitive porcupine during an operation in Kelar district, the Forest and Environment Police announced on Wednesday. The search began on July 8, 2026, after a citizen reported seeing a wild porcupine in rural Kelar. Acting on the tip, Forest and Environment Police carried out an operation with a specialized team under a formal order from an investigating judge. The porcupine was taken to Kelar police station and placed under custody, according to a statement from the police's media unit in the Garmian administration. Authorities said legal proceedings have been initiated against the animal and that all required judicial procedures will be followed. The investigation file into the porcupine's fate remains open, according to the statement.