Pakistan Wildlife Conservation News

Link: http://hwww.chitraltimes.com/english12/newseng40.htm

SNOW LEOPARD SPOTTED IN CHITRAL
By Zahiruddin

CHITRAL: Snow-leopard has been spotted in the forests near the villages of Bakamak and Shali from where it moved to the lower altitude of Toshi game reserve due to the accumulation of heavy snow in the highlands.

The animal had disappeared from the area and had not been seen anywhere during the last two years and the people had concerns about its complete extinction, an official of wildlife department told Chitraltimes.com.

The people flocked the place located on Garam Chashma Road along with their children on Wednesday and Thursday to watch the wild cat resting in the hill foot on the other side of the river which is situated at a distance of only twenty minutes drive from the city.

The official of wildlife department said that the animal descends to the lower areas in search of food when the forests and high mountains receive heavy snow and forces the small wild animals including markhor and ibex to the lower areas which are the cherished food of the leopard.

The presence of the ferocious wild animal in the area has filled the people of the villages flanking the forests with fear restricting their movement after sunset as it moves to the human settlement in the darkness of night and attacks the domestic livestock.

Ejaz Ahmed, a biodiversity specialist, said that the animal has a wide home range which extends to the Nooristan area of Afghanistan along the Hindu Kush range of mountains.

He said that the animal had not been spotted in Chitral during the lat two years and it is believed that its natural habitat had been disturbed on our side in the form of overgrazing and other human activities.

The animal had once been declared one of the endangered species in the recent past but now the population density has been brought to a safe level which is at 30 to 35 as per estimates of International Snow leopard Trust.

Enumerating the reasons of the extending disappearance of the animal from the area, Mr. Ejaz described grazing in the alpine rangeland, human conflicts, climatic change and less snowfall.

Mr. Ejaz said that WWF has launched snow leopard project in some villages in Chitral with community based activities which are helpful to create congenial environment and habita for the wild cat.

Some elders of Shali and Seen villages recalled that the animal used to attack the human settlements of the villages in the winter season when the area received snow in large scale.

One Dinar Shah, in his eighties, Seen village said that the villages used to be guarded by its residents in the night against the animal but now there is no such danger as the village is illuminated by electric bulbs.

He said that the animal attacks the men very in very rare cases and it targets only livestock specially goats.

He said that the former rulers of Chitral had imposed ban on killing the animal and they only warded it off when attacked their livestock.

Some circles feared that the animal is being poached in the area for want of its skin which is in high demand in the national and international market but so far no such case has ever been reported.

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