ghazi52
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Save the snow leopard
The vigilance from the concerned authorities has increased especially after the interest from the international community for the protection of this endangered animal. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has allocated a grant of $4.6 million to Pakistan Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection. The project is envisaged to contribute towards implementing integrated sustainable forest and land management on over 4.1 million hectares, which will result in securing major snow leopard landscapes in the country. Each snow leopard travels in an area of around 200 kilometres, and their habitat needs to be protected.
The tradition of glorifying the sport of hunting has transcended across generations. Although hunting enthusiasts exist in countries around the world including the US and the UK, there are stricter laws against the hunting of endangered species. The culture of glorifying hunting for gratuitous reasons — of pleasure, recreation, show of machismo, adrenaline rush, and the thrill of chase — should be done away with and severe penalties must be imposed on the violators. In Pakistan, the bans have been violated over the years even by government officials. A ban imposed on the hunting of endangered species of houbara bustard was challenged by the government in the Supreme Court as many member of the royal families of the Gulf States travel to Pakistan for this purpose. The government’s audacious retort was that the ban on hunting of the bird might estrange relations with the Gulf States. With such an attitude from government towards protection of endangered species, the trend of decrease in the number of snow leopards among other endangered species like Markhor is expected.
Most of the people hunt for a taste of the meat of certain animals and birds. The hunting of animals just for the sake of monetary gains should be discouraged. The snow leopard trust in India works towards the protection of the snow leopard habitat found in the northern Himalayan region. A similarly dedicated department is required in Pakistan to protect the natural habitat of snow leopards. Although the hunting is a cause of the decreasing numbers of snow leopards, climate change is one of the main reasons for migration of these species from their habitats. Rising temperatures have resulted in the melting of glaciers and has damaged natural habitat of snow leopards. Serious efforts are needed on the part of the authorities to curb the effects of climate change. The recent projects of tree plantation initiated by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as the federal government are a welcome step and need to be implemented on an urgent basis to protect the natural habitats of endangered species.
- The number of snow leopards has drastically decreased over the past few years in Pakistan. According to an official of the climate change ministry, DNA testing of animal excrement has revealed that the number has decreased by 300 to 400 over past few years. The snow leopard lives at high altitudes, from 12,000 to 18,000 feet and is found in 12 countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Russia. There are only 6,000 snow leopards left in the world, according to the inspector general forest of Pakistan. He further added that a few decades ago, the skin of snow leopard was sold for more than Rs 10 million in Islamabad. A complete ban on the hunting of the animal has been imposed now, and efforts are being made by the ministry to implement it strictly. Snow leopards never attack people, but they frequently attack livestock. The DNA tests have shown that 75 percent of snow leopards’ foodstuff consists of livestock, so they frequently attack livestock and are killed by people.
The vigilance from the concerned authorities has increased especially after the interest from the international community for the protection of this endangered animal. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has allocated a grant of $4.6 million to Pakistan Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection. The project is envisaged to contribute towards implementing integrated sustainable forest and land management on over 4.1 million hectares, which will result in securing major snow leopard landscapes in the country. Each snow leopard travels in an area of around 200 kilometres, and their habitat needs to be protected.
The tradition of glorifying the sport of hunting has transcended across generations. Although hunting enthusiasts exist in countries around the world including the US and the UK, there are stricter laws against the hunting of endangered species. The culture of glorifying hunting for gratuitous reasons — of pleasure, recreation, show of machismo, adrenaline rush, and the thrill of chase — should be done away with and severe penalties must be imposed on the violators. In Pakistan, the bans have been violated over the years even by government officials. A ban imposed on the hunting of endangered species of houbara bustard was challenged by the government in the Supreme Court as many member of the royal families of the Gulf States travel to Pakistan for this purpose. The government’s audacious retort was that the ban on hunting of the bird might estrange relations with the Gulf States. With such an attitude from government towards protection of endangered species, the trend of decrease in the number of snow leopards among other endangered species like Markhor is expected.
Most of the people hunt for a taste of the meat of certain animals and birds. The hunting of animals just for the sake of monetary gains should be discouraged. The snow leopard trust in India works towards the protection of the snow leopard habitat found in the northern Himalayan region. A similarly dedicated department is required in Pakistan to protect the natural habitat of snow leopards. Although the hunting is a cause of the decreasing numbers of snow leopards, climate change is one of the main reasons for migration of these species from their habitats. Rising temperatures have resulted in the melting of glaciers and has damaged natural habitat of snow leopards. Serious efforts are needed on the part of the authorities to curb the effects of climate change. The recent projects of tree plantation initiated by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as the federal government are a welcome step and need to be implemented on an urgent basis to protect the natural habitats of endangered species.
