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WWF SHOWS RESERVATIONS ON HUNTING OF BEAR, LEOPARD


Friday, January 22, 2016 - Peshawar—World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Pakistan) has expressed serious concern over the recent announcement by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Wildlife Department regarding invitation of bids for trophy hunting of the common leopard and Himalayan black bear.

In a press statement issued here on Thursday, WWF-Pakistan has objected to the proposal for trophy hunting of these species due to their conservation status and a wide array of threats to their existence.

At present both species are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) country assessment for Pakistan.

In recent years, trophy hunting has become a subject of controversy and criticism, especially regarding those species which are wide ranging such as large carnivores.

In the current situation, managing conflict between human and wildlife is crucial, and requires conservation initiatives such as compensation and insurance of livestock and its management, prey based improvement, protection of habitats, increase in protected areas and community awareness rather than trophy hunting.

Commenting on the proposal, Dr Uzma Khan, Director Species Conservation, WWF-Pakistan said that our efforts need to be geared towards conservation initiatives as there is no dedicated conservation effort for both these species. The survival of the common leopard and black bear will be even more challenging due to increasing pressure on forest resources with a growing human population.

Trophy hunting of the herd living markhor and ibex cannot be compared with a wide ranging solitary predator, where one cannot select an animal to be hunted or have correct population estimates. WWF-Pakistan suggests that the provincial wildlife department should develop a well thought out human-wildlife conflict mitigation programme instead of trophy hunting with increasing protected areas and the natural prey base, she added.—APP

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KP Wildlife announces trophy hunting scheme of common leopard black bear
January 10, 2016: Peshawar



PESHAWAR: The Wildlife department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced trophy hunting scheme of common leopard and black bear with the objective of reducing danger to human being and livestock in the wake of increasing population of both the wild species in the province.

The scheme announced in patron with already existing Trophy Hunting scheme for Markhor (Wild Goat) will be restricted only to harmful leopards and bears said Niaz Ahmad Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Wildlife Headquarters Peshawar.

The decision has been taken due to increasing incidents of human carnivore conflicts in Galliyat and other forests of KP Niaz added.

Niaz said due to increase in population of common leopards in Galliyat especially Ayubia National Park the incidents of human carnivore conflicts is frequently reported.

In some cases human loss is reported due attack by animal on population especially women and children.

For launching of Trophy Hunting for harmful leopard and bear the Wildlife department has floated advertisement in newspapers seeking bids from professional hunters both national and international.

About the number of animals to be killed under the scheme Niaz said it will be decided after evaluation of complaints about animal attacks on human being and livestock.

DFO Wildlife said in KP common leopard population is significant in Galliyat while black bear presence is in abundance in upper Hazara division Battagram and Shangla districts.

The value of hunting permits would be finalized on basis of bids submitted by hunters Niaz informed. He said permits will be allotted to hunters on basis of first come first serve basis.

The Markhor Trophy hunting has shown very positive result in conservation of the wild specie he continued.

Markhor a wild goat with long spiral horns was once a critically endangered specie in Pakistan but now we have the largest population of the wild specie Niaz remarked.

He said locals were involved in conservation of Markhor by providing them financial help from the amount received from hunters for hunting of the animal.

About 80 percent of the total amount received from hunters is distributed on developmental schemes in localities where hunting was carried out and remaining 20 percent is submitted in the national kitty.

DFO Wildlife informed that last year the highest bid for hunting permit for Markhor was sold at dollar 110 000 (Rs 11 million).

In the same way the amount received from hunters for hunting of leopard and bear will be distributed on the well being of communities of the area where hunting is carried out.

He expressed the hope that Trophy hunting of leopard and bear will also give positive result in involvement of communities in conservation of the wild species.