Wildlife conservation seminar: Experts call for research-based management policy
Dispel negative image associated with Pakistan in media to promote collaboration’.
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan’s image portrayed by the media as a country constantly under attack abroad hampers scientists from collaborating with their local counterparts. But once this misunderstanding is dispelled, a new wave of collaborative efforts can begin, which will help wildlife conservation efforts in Pakistan.
This was the observation of Dr Richard Bischof of Norwegian University of Life Sciences at a seminar. He and Prof. Sandro Lovari from the Unversity of Siena spoke on “The Role of Science in Wildlife Management” at the Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) here on Friday.
Dr Bischof employed slideshows and notes in his lecture while Prof. Lovari, who had come straight from the field, delivered his lecture in an informal anecdotal manner, as he did not have enough time to prepare.
Dr Bischof explained the concepts of “trophy hunting”, “invasive species” and the “observer effect” to the audience and illustrated examples from around the world, where basic and applied science is used to address wildlife management issues.
He said, “Science can provide a foundation of knowledge, which is necessary to disapprove the dogmas and misperceptions regarding wildlife.”
He said that informed wildlife management and conservation require a tight connection between applied problems and the research targeted at solving them. Yet, there often remains a gap between wildlife scientists and those facing the challenges of managing wild populations.
He shared his experience working at the Khunjerab National Park in Pakistan and said hopefully by November, they will have information on snow leopards, wolfs and brown bears in the park.
He also encouraged reading “The Honest Broker” to the students to get a better idea of conservation theories.
Prof. Lovari focused on his research on snow leopards in Nepal’s Sagarmatha National Park and narrated the various managerial problems he faced. He said that the snow leopards’ population has decreased by up to 50% in the last twenty years.
He lamented that managers often do not disseminate the findings of scientists. He said, “Scientists have to provide new information to replace rumours and tradition with data. This is the beauty of science. But if this data is put away in a drawer and not shared by the managers to the public, it is useless.”
Students and faculty engaged with both speakers in a lively question-and-answer round. A plethora of questions were asked on hybrid mating, increasing conservation awareness, economical factors in research, improving capacity building, ethics and collaboration between foreign and Pakistani scientists.
On matters of economic restraints, Prof. Lovari reminded the audience that Pakistan should not despair on the slow progress of wildlife management development, as Italy itself was in such a state fifteen years ago with gradual improvements since then.
Department of Animal Sciences Assistant Professor Dr Ali Nawaz concluded the seminar, saying, “Pakistan has developed required legislation to protect country’s diverse wildlife.
However many of our charismatic species continue to decline or have even gone extinct in face of these measures.”
This, he added, questions our management policies, indicating that conservation policies should be based on applied research. He emphasised the need to acknowledge the biodiversity conservation as global concern and an integral part of the development process.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2011.
Pakistan’s image portrayed by the media as a country constantly under attack abroad hampers scientists from collaborating with their local counterparts. But once this misunderstanding is dispelled, a new wave of collaborative efforts can begin, which will help wildlife conservation efforts in Pakistan.
This was the observation of Dr Richard Bischof of Norwegian University of Life Sciences at a seminar. He and Prof. Sandro Lovari from the Unversity of Siena spoke on “The Role of Science in Wildlife Management” at the Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) here on Friday.
Dr Bischof employed slideshows and notes in his lecture while Prof. Lovari, who had come straight from the field, delivered his lecture in an informal anecdotal manner, as he did not have enough time to prepare.
Dr Bischof explained the concepts of “trophy hunting”, “invasive species” and the “observer effect” to the audience and illustrated examples from around the world, where basic and applied science is used to address wildlife management issues.
He said, “Science can provide a foundation of knowledge, which is necessary to disapprove the dogmas and misperceptions regarding wildlife.”
He said that informed wildlife management and conservation require a tight connection between applied problems and the research targeted at solving them. Yet, there often remains a gap between wildlife scientists and those facing the challenges of managing wild populations.
He shared his experience working at the Khunjerab National Park in Pakistan and said hopefully by November, they will have information on snow leopards, wolfs and brown bears in the park.
He also encouraged reading “The Honest Broker” to the students to get a better idea of conservation theories.
Prof. Lovari focused on his research on snow leopards in Nepal’s Sagarmatha National Park and narrated the various managerial problems he faced. He said that the snow leopards’ population has decreased by up to 50% in the last twenty years.
He lamented that managers often do not disseminate the findings of scientists. He said, “Scientists have to provide new information to replace rumours and tradition with data. This is the beauty of science. But if this data is put away in a drawer and not shared by the managers to the public, it is useless.”
Students and faculty engaged with both speakers in a lively question-and-answer round. A plethora of questions were asked on hybrid mating, increasing conservation awareness, economical factors in research, improving capacity building, ethics and collaboration between foreign and Pakistani scientists.
On matters of economic restraints, Prof. Lovari reminded the audience that Pakistan should not despair on the slow progress of wildlife management development, as Italy itself was in such a state fifteen years ago with gradual improvements since then.
Department of Animal Sciences Assistant Professor Dr Ali Nawaz concluded the seminar, saying, “Pakistan has developed required legislation to protect country’s diverse wildlife.
However many of our charismatic species continue to decline or have even gone extinct in face of these measures.”
This, he added, questions our management policies, indicating that conservation policies should be based on applied research. He emphasised the need to acknowledge the biodiversity conservation as global concern and an integral part of the development process.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2011.