Leopards help ensure stable ecosystem

High wildcat numbers in the northern areas said to control perilous wild boar population

ISLAMABAD:

Several incidents of leopards being hit by motorists have been reported in the northern areas, particularly Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), a tourism-rich area.

These collisions indicate a thriving population of the endangered common Asian Leopard, highlighting the need for community awareness to respect wildlife habitats and ecosystems while visiting the scenic hilly areas of the country.

A senior official from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa wildlife department confirmed that an Asian leopard was found injured on Kaghan Highway after being hit by a fast-moving car, leaving it traumatized and unable to walk on its hind limbs. However, he stated that the increase in the leopard population is not a risk, but rather indicates a healthy ecosystem, as the wildcat controls the population of wild boars which can be detrimental to crops, humans, and ecology if in abundance.

The injured female leopard was timely recovered from Kaghan Highway and shifted to Dhodial Pheasantry, Mansehra for treatment. The divisional forest officer (DFO) Dhodial decided to release the leopardess back into the wild once it had fully recuperated. The DFO's decision was based on the understanding that if the leopard was unable to hunt, it would attack the weakest prey on its food chain, which is humans.

The Wildlife official said that an injured hyena was recovered earlier from Koh-e-Suleiman area and it was rehabilitated and recovered under captivity and then released into the wild.

The KP's Wildlife Department has a policy to keep wildlife in its natural habitats, and the recently extended K-P wildlife act includes the newly merged tribal districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which are potential habitats of leopards, hyenas, wolves, and other wildlife species. However, there have been frequent leopard-human conflicts in the Khyber districts where the leopard population is thriving, and hunting has been common in that region.

The wildlife department has initiated a compensation mechanism in collaboration with the deputy commissioner's office to provide money in lieu of animals killed by leopards. However, verification by the wildlife department and the affected party is required to ensure that the livestock animal was predated by a leopard.

Community awareness and education have become imperative to ensure wildlife protection and promotion, particularly in areas that are tourism magnets.

The wildlife department is already conducting awareness lectures at schools and colleges for students on wildlife protection and conservation.

Many of these students have higher education and are serving in key positions, contributing to creating sensitivity among the masses to some extent. Standard operating procedures are also necessary to ensure safety for all involved.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2023.