06/22/12
A brown bear family sighted in Hundrap, Ghizer
Link: http://pamirtimes.net/2012/06/22/a-brown-bear-family-sighted-hundrap-gilgit-baltistan/
A brown bear family sighted in Hundrap, Ghizer
Our Correspondent
Gilgit, June 21: The Snow Leopard Foundation, Pakistan, has said that a family of Brown Bear has been sighted in Hundrap area of Phandar, located in Ghizer District of Gilgit - Baltistan. According to a press statement members of an occupancy survey team sighted the Brown Bear family from an approximate distance of almost 100m.
The site occupancy survey in Pahndar was a two week activity to document occurrence of large carnivores, the press statement states, in which an area comprising of 51 grid cells (5 x 5 km each) were searched by six experienced researchers. The main localities surveyed included Langer, Barsit, Teru, Hundrab, Serbal and Chashi. The presence of brown bear, wolf, fox and ibex was confirmed in different parts of the area through their signs. Sighting of brown bear in Hundrab strengthened the evidences.
Gupis: The surveyors think that the population of the endangered Brown Bear in Hundrap might be very small. PR
02/20/12
Snow Leopards descend down to Doyan valley, a place near Gilgit
Link: http://www.wwfpak.org/newsroom/170212_snowleopards.php
Snow Leopards descend down to Doyan valley, a place near Gilgit
Gilgit, 17 February 2012: On 13th February 2012 local community members of the Doyan valley in Astore District of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan spotted a group of four snow leopards near their village. Astonishingly the shy cats remained at the same location till 14th February, and the community members Mr. Naseer ur Rehman and others informed Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Department about the sighting and continued show up of the animals. Upon the advice of Mr. Willayat Noor, Conservator Parks and Wildlife Gilgit-Baltistan and Mr. Aftab Mehmood, Divisional Forest Officer Wildlife Gilgit-Baltistan, the community members ventured to photograph the illusive felids. On 14th February, Mr. Naseer of Doyan Community and Mr. Farooq, Game Inspector of the Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Department were able to take some pictures and videos of the cats. According to Mr. Naseer, they were about 100 meters away from the cats on the other side of Astore river, while looking at them and taking photographs.
Video clips available here: http://www.divshare.com/download/16810972-af2
02/18/12
Rare whale shark swims into Capital
Link: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/islamabad/18-Feb-2012/rare-whale-shark-swims-into-capital
Rare whale shark swims into Capital
By: Syed Danish Hussain | February 18, 2012 | 0
ISLAMABAD - The giant whale shark carcass that was found on February 6 in the Gora Bari area in Pakistani territory of Arabian Sea by the local fishermen finally reached its final destination - Pakistan Museum of Natural History, Islamabad - where it will be processed for its long-term preservation and display.
“The preservation process will take at least four months. It then, will be reconstructed, mounted and displayed for the general public as an icon of biodiversity of Pakistan,” informed Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation Dr Manzoor Soomro while addressing a news conference here on Saturday.
He said that with the consent of all the stakeholders, it was decided that this unique specimen should be preserved and displayed in the museum for future research and education. He said the team of scientists and technicians from Pakistan Museum of Natural History have already completed the first phase of the preservation process in Karachi.
02/18/12
Taxidermist’s mission: Whale shark to become national heritage
Link: http://tribune.com.pk/story/338131/taxidermists-mission-whale-shark-to-become-national-heritage/
Taxidermist’s mission: Whale shark to become national heritage
By Usama Zafar
Published: February 18, 2012
In its journey from becoming a dead fish on the Karachi shore to a national heritage, the 40.1-foot-long whale shark was transferred to the Pakistan Museum of Natural History here on Friday.
Once it is preserved - a process that will take up to six months and cost Rs2.5 million — the fish will become a national heritage, said the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) in a press briefing.
An official from the PSF said the body of the fish has been moved to the museum.
PSF Chairman Dr Manzoor Hussain Soomro told The Express Tribune the whale was chemically processed before it was sent to Islamabad.
PHOTOS: FILE, INP The 40.1-foot whale shark was found in Karachi and is being preserved in Islamabad. PHOTO: INP
ISLAMABAD:
02/16/12
36-foot-long whale shark carcass brought to city harbour
Link: http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/08/7000-kilo-36-foot-long-whale-shark-carcass-brought-to-city-harbour.html
36-foot-long whale shark carcass brought to city harbour
Faiza Ilyas | Metropolitan > Karachi | From the Newspaper
16th February, 2012
KARACHI, Feb 7: A 36-foot-long whale shark was on Tuesday morning brought to the Karachi Fish Harbour by local fishermen who claimed to have found it dead in the open sea though some experts believed that the shark might have been killed after it got entangled in a net.
The female fish weighs around 7,000 kilos, according to experts.
The whale shark was taken out of the channel with the help of two cranes amid rapturous applause by hundreds of onlookers.
The seven-tonne whale shark is being lifted with the help of two cranes on Tuesday morning. - Fahim Siddiqui / White Star
02/07/12
It was THIS big! Fishermen on the Arabian Sea reel in giant 40ft long whaleshark
It was THIS big! Fishermen on the Arabian Sea reel in giant 40ft long whaleshark
By Leon Watson
Try telling someone you caught this 40ft fish that's as big as a whale - because they're unlikely to believe you.
But that's exactly what a group of fishermen will be saying after landing this monster from the deep in the Arabian Sea.
Pictures emerged today of the giant whaleshark being reeled in and brought to port in the Pakistani city of Karachi.
Reeled in: Pakistani fishermen use cranes to pull the carcass of a whale shark from the water
