Reminder to govt: Policies needed to protect biodiversity

ISLAMABAD: The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan has urged the government to devise a comprehensive policy for the conservation of wildlife. Senior director of WWF Pakistan chapter Dr Ejaz Ahmad on Sunday said global warming was threatening wildlife, which was an integral part of the country’s biodiversity. He said Pakistan’s wildlife consisted of some 668 species of birds, 195 mammals and 192 species of reptiles. For the protection and conservation of these species and their habitat, a network of protected areas was currently in place working under the Provincial Wildlife Protection Laws, he said while talking to APP. Dr Ejaz said there were 26 national parks, 92 wildlife sanctuaries, 89 game reserves and 115 community reserve, while the network of protected areas covered about 12 per cent of the land area of the country. Wildlife was most vulnerable to global warming. “Global warming and climate changes are forcing wildlife to change their behaviours such as many birds are nesting, breeding, and migrating earlier as spring arrives sooner than before,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th,  2016.