Two-year-old markhor kid being released back to Kargah valley after recovering from minor injuries. The kid lost its footing and slipped on Sunday. PHOTO: SHABBIR MIR/EXPRESS
WCS volunteers Abdul Kadir and Azfar Ali found the markhor kid on Sunday after it had slipped from a slope near a water channel in Kargah valley, which is about 20 kilometers from Gilgit.
“The kid was provided the necessary treatment before being released,” said Dr Mayoor Khan, who heads the WCS, an NGO which works to conserve rare wildlife species in G-B.
The ceremony to see off the markhor kid was attended by communities of the surrounding areas besides officials including advisor to G-B chief minister Aftab Haider, forest and wildlife conservator Wilayat Noor, secretary forest Khandim Hussain among others. Markhor sightings under normal circumstances are quite rare and many took advantage of this opportunity to take a few pictures.
“We request that a forest hut be constructed and community guards be given regular jobs to ensure better care of the wildlife,” read a resolution adopted by the communities.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) places Markhors on the endangered species list. The list includes species considered to be at a high risk of extinction.
Under the Trophy Hunting Programme initiated in the 90s to discourage uncapped hunting of vulnerable wildlife, the fee to hunt a markhor is $40,000 in G-B. Roughly 80% of the money earned goes back into the communities – a motive for locals to cooperate in the protection of endangered species. A total of four markhors can be hunted during the season which begins in October and ends in April.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2013.
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Muneeza Rauf, I wonder if you have been to GB! there is great sense/ awareness among the people up in the mountains about biodiversity conservation. When conservation is viewed as an holistic approch responding to poverty and mitigating enviromental degradation that attracts local people to participate in the process. And that is what is needed and is desirable for improving well being of local people and conserving /improving the natural envirionemnt.
Dont Know after freed Aftab hayder will chase and killed this Markhor.
@Darjat, we should take care of these species really. Thanks GB for this gesture
Good to see Markhor is free! Taking care of endangered species by community members is true solution in conservation in those mountain. Great work by Wilayat Noor ( a senior government officer in Gb) and Doc Mayoor Khan. Abdul and Afzal and other community members deserve appriciation.