Snow leopard attacks goats in Chitral

PESHAWAR:

A hungry snow leopard descended from icy alpine region to a village in Mastooj Upper Chiltral district of Khyher-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and killed six goats after attacking a livestock enclosure of a local villager.

The livestock corral belonged to Syed Anwar, son of Abu Saeed Khan from village Chinar, Mastooj tehsil. The rare animal attacked the house during midnight and went on killing spree to satiate his hunger.

Syed Anwar claimed that this is second attack of snow leopard on his domesticated animals in a period of one year. In the earlier attack, the feline had mauled nine goats, he went on to say while talking with APP in Chitral.

The victim also complained that no compensation has been provided to him by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department and demanded payment for all the losses he faced due to attack of wild animals. Syed Anwar said villagers are following instruction of Wildlife Department and not harming wild animals in retaliation over predator’s attack on livestock, but no help is extended from the department to affected people. After the previous attack, a written complaint was submitted in the office of Range Officer of Wildlife Department in Mastooj area but to no avail.

The officer had visited his home, took pictures of pug marks and sent it to head office in Peshawar, he continued.

Syed Anwar said a delegation of villagers also met District Forest Officer, Iltaf Ahmad in connection with payment of compensation.

The official told villagers that due to lack of Village Conservation Committee in their respective area, compensation claim cannot be accepted or entertained, Syed Anwar added.

Meanwhile, the affected villager has requested K-P Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to take notice of incident and compensate him.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2022.