Through the work of the BWCDO, formerly known as Snow Leopard … However, he added that government and non-government organisations were working for conservation of snow leopards in Pakistan and monitoring its population. The snow leopard finds a home in the Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountains in Pakistan’s northern provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir. Wildlife experts estimate about 3,500-7,000 of them are left in their natural habitat worldwide, according to the Snow Leopard Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that works towards the conservation of big cats in the country.And only around 200-420 of them are in Pakistan… Copyright 2016-2021 by Wildlife Conservation Society. WCS has long been a global leader in snow leopard conservation, beginning with Dr. George Schaller’s wildlife surveys on snow leopards and their prey in Pakistan in the 1970s, resulting in his seminal books Mountain Monarchs and Stones of Silence (and influencing Peter Matthiessen’s book The Snow Leopard that brought international attention to the species), and which also led to the creation of Pakistan’s Khunjerab National Park. Rangelands in Pakistan occupy about 20% of snow leopard habitat and provide critical grazing areas for wild and domestic ungulates. In 2015, WWF launched its first ever network-wide Species Action Plan for snow leopards. Snow leopards were detected in the entire snow leopard habitat of the state, including Bhaga, Chandra, Bharmour, Kullu, Miyar, Pin, Baspa, Tabo, Hangrang and Spiti, suggesting that the … Finally, lack of awareness is a threat – local communities are not aware of the endangered status of these big cats; local governments are not aware of the rapid disappearance of snow leopards and the need for improved enforcement both in and outside protected areas; and there is a surprising lack of scientific knowledge to inform management, including such basic facts as accurate population numbers and trends across the range states. The population of the rarely seen big cat has likely fallen to fewer than 450 in the country, mainly due to hunting. WCS has long been a global leader in snow leopard conservation, beginning with Dr. George Schaller’s wildlife surveys on snow leopards and their prey in Pakistan in the 1970s, resulting in his seminal books Mountain Monarchs and Stones of Silence (and influencing Peter Matthiessen’s book The Snow Leopard that brought international attention to the species), and which also led to the creation of Pakistan’s Khunjerab National Park. The snow leopard finds a home in the Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountains in Pakistan’s northern provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir. The snow leopard is listed on Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), which makes it illegal to transport snow leopard body parts across international boundaries. This comprehenseive strategy builds upon the organization’s long history in snow leopard conservation as well as the projects that WWF offices are currently undertaking in snow leopard … The snow leopard is currently listed by IUCN as Endangered. Poaching, especially for the skins but also for the traditional medicinal trade, is a growing threat across snow leopard range states. Loss of natural wild prey (mostly wild sheep and goats, but also marmots and smaller prey) is another major threat. Conduct scat-based surveys across the range of snow leopard in Pakistan. She provides support to the evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of community conservation initiatives to partners across the snow leopard range. There are five major threats facing snow leopards in the wild. Justine also acts as the Regional Ecologist for the Snow Leopard Trust and supports research and conservation work across in China, Mongolia, Pakistan, India and Pakistan. Species involved: Snow Leopard Project partners: Baltistan Wildlife Conservation and Development Organization Total SCIF Investment: $20,000 Year SCIF began involvement: 2017 (Project timeline: 2008-2017) Project Objectives. Endangered species: Snow leopard shot dead by villagers in Kashmir April 26, 2012; Three snow leopards snapped in a single capture in Khunjerab National Park February 9, 2012; Potohar no more a wildlife sanctuary February 7, 2012; India, Pakistan and the Snow Leopard February 5, 2012; Snow leopard … The snow leopard (Panthera uncia), also known as the ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia.It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because the global population … This loss of wild prey leads to another threat, retaliatory killing by shepherds and villagers when snow leopards switch to livestock as the only available alternative food source. No accurate survey data exist on snow leopard populations across Gilgit-Baltistan. CITES has legally protected the snow leopard across 12 range states (Jackson et al., 2008, para 23). We partner with the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF), one of Pakistan’s most respected conservation … Due to the Baltistan Wildlife Conservation and Development Organisation’s efforts over the last two decades, the snow leopard population in Baltistan is stable. In September 2017, The International Union for Conservation of … There are currently between … There are currently 109 protected areas (276,123 km2) known to have snow leopard… The Nature Conservation Foundation has done commendable work over the past two decades to protect the snow leopard in the upper Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh, but more efforts … Yet only between 3,500 and 10,000 snow leopards remain, as they face threats ranging from the fur trade to retaliatory killing by livestock herders to loss of their prey – primarily wild mountain sheep and goats – from over-hunting. There are five major threats facing snow leopards in the wild. In Pakistan, the snow leopard is found only in the Hindu Kush and Karakoram  region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir with an estimated population of around 200-420 … Despite this, snow leopard populations are still thought to be dwindling across most of their range. Partner Organization. Nicknamed “mountain ghost,” the elusive snow leopard is rarely spotted in the wild. Community-Based Snow Leopard Conservation in Pakistan’s Northern Areas: Baltistan Dr. Jackson training wildlife monitors above Skoyo. We partner with the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF), one of Pakistan’s most respected conservation nonprofits. In Pakistan, WCS has created a multi-year program to help protect a significant proportion of Gilgit-Baltistan Province, which is home to the snow leopard and the snow leopard's key prey species in … A national-level assessment deemed … Over the last eight years, Ajay he has worked on setting up, running and monitoring community–conservation efforts in Ladakh and Spiti valley in India. In October 2012, WWF began a four-year project to conserve snow leopard habitat, promote water security, and help … Even when snow leopards do not kill livestock, they are often blamed for losses and killed as a ‘precautionary’ measure. The organization is led by 2016 Whitley Award winner Dr. Muhammad Ali Nawaz, who is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Islamabad’s Quaid-i-Azam University. Snow Leopard Wildlife Conservation Society Pakistan has been implementing a multi-year program since 1997 in attempts to conserve the last extensive high elevation and conifer forest ecosystems in Gilgit-Baltistan-a natural habitat to both snow leopards … The species is also listed as Endangered by almost all range countries. This loss of wild prey leads to another threat, retaliatory killing by shepherds and villagers when snow leopards switch to livestock as the only available alternative food source. The snow leopard is listed on Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), which makes it illegal to transport snow leopard body parts across international boundaries. Snow Leopards Conservation … The mountains of Kyrgyzstan are at the heart of the snow leopard range, connecting its north populations in Russia and Kazakhstan with the southern ones in Pakistan and China. The Snow Leopard Conservancy partners worked with herders to install Foxlights and predator-proof livestock corrals, helping to protect up to 125 snow leopards from retributive killings, across more than … The country is however blessed with an incredible range of species. WCS has long been a global leader in snow leopard conservation, beginning with Dr. George Schaller’s wildlife surveys on snow leopards and their prey in Pakistan in the 1970s, resulting in his seminal books Mountain Monarchs and Stones of Silence (and influencing Peter Matthiessen’s book The Snow Leopard that brought international attention to the species), and which also led to the creation of Pakistan’s … However, given that across a large part of this landscape markhor are the primary prey species for this endangered big cat, it is expected that overall anti-poaching enforcement by WCS-trained community rangers coupled with the significant upturn in markhor population is having a positive effect on snow leopards. PSLEP(Pakistan Snow Leopard Foundation), Snow Leopard Conservancy India, Snow Leopard Trust China, WWF, UNDP, IUCN etc should collaborate together to come up with the best solutions and latest technologies to protect these endangered species from disappearing. Even when snow leopards do not kill livestock, they are often blamed for losses and killed as a ‘precautionary’ measure. Snow Leopard Foundation is a registered non-profit and non-governmental organization dedicated to conserving viable populations of snow leopards and other wild carnivores as an integral part of … Poaching, especially for the skins but also for the traditional medicinal trade, is a growing threat across snow leopard range states. Now an expert has … The program, which began formally in 1997, includes wildlife surveys, community-based education, and institution building for resource management, including the creation of resource committees and community rangers to monitor snow leopards and other wildlife and to stop poaching. Loss of natural wild prey (mostly wild sheep and goats, but also marmots and smaller prey) is another major threat. In Pakistan, WCS has created a multi-year program to help protect one of the last extensive high-elevation arid conifer forest ecosystems in Gilgit-Baltistan, home to the snow leopard and the snow leopard’s key prey species across much of this region, the flare-horned markhor. In Pakistan research and conservation primarily focusses on a few wildlife species such as the charismatic snow leopard. The snow leopard is currently listed by IUCN as Endangered. The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is the top predator of Asia’s great mountain ranges, with a distribution covering perhaps as much as 3 million km2 of the continent. India's plan, however, has not been adequately funded (para. The Conservancy’s first community partnership in Pakistan began in 2004, with conservation … The species is also listed as Endangered by almost all range countries. Having spent five years working in Pakistan, his country of birth, on biodiversity conservation with the IUCN, Shafqat knows that for there to be any hope of survival for the snow leopard, the conflict … The White Lion Foundation is working in partnership with the Baltistan Wildlife Conservation and Development Organisation (BWCDO) in Pakistan, to ensure that snow leopards and humans co-exist in harmony. In particular, the project will target villages within Central Karakoram Conservation Complex (CKCC), and areas that includes Central Karakorum National Park (CNKP) and adjoining valleys, and which is thought to have the highest concentrations of Snow Leopards in Pakistan. An estimated 200–420 snow leopards exist in Pakistan across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The snow leopard in Pakistan is an endangered species. Rangelands assessed to be burdened and overgrazed … 24). The program, which began formally in 1997, includes wildlife surveys, community-based education, and institution building for resource management, including the creation of resource committees and community rangers to monitor snow leopards and other wildlife and to stop poaching. However, given that across a large part of this landscape markhor are the primary prey species for this endangered big cat, it is expected that overall anti-poaching enforcement by WCS-trained community rangers coupled with the significant upturn in markhor population is having a positive effect on snow leopards. Yet only between 3,500 and 10,000 snow leopards remain, as they face threats ranging from the fur trade to retaliatory killing by livestock herders to loss of their prey – primarily wild mountain sheep and goats – from over-hunting. Only a few hundred are believed to exist within Pakistan, and it was listed as Critically Endangered in Pakistan in the 2003 IUCN Pakistan Red List. Finally, lack of awareness is a threat – local communities are not aware of the endangered status of these big cats; local governments are not aware of the rapid disappearance of snow leopards and the need for improved enforcement both in and outside protected areas; and there is a surprising lack of scientific knowledge to inform management, including such basic facts as accurate population numbers and trends across the range states. Archive | 2017-01-16 07:11:30 Exhibition held to raise funds for snow leopard conservation. It serves as … … WCS, the "W" logo, WE STAND FOR WILDLIFE, I STAND FOR WILDLIFE, and STAND FOR WILDLIFE are service marks of Wildlife Conservation Society. A hobbyist ornithologist and passionate conservationist from Germany, Celesta pointed out that the major threat the snow leopard faces in Pakistan is the issue of human-wildlife conflict. General disturbance and habitat loss is a growing threat as more and more people move into snow leopard habitat. To address these issues facing Snow Leopards… Snow Leopard numbers It is estimated there are between 200 and 420 snow leopards in Pakistan’s northern mountains in the areas known as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and … Four countries–Mongolia, Pakistan, Nepal, and Russia–have existing national action plans, and India established Project Snow Leopard. 7). No accurate survey data exist on snow leopard populations across Gilgit-Baltistan. The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is the top predator of Asia’s great mountain ranges, with a distribution covering perhaps as much as 3 million km2 of the continent. Go to the home page of Snow Leopard Trust, View snowleopard.org’s profile on Facebook, View snowleopardtrust’s profile on Instagram, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Suite 325, Seattle, WA 98103, USA, Reduction of natural prey due to illegal hunting, Karakoram area in the Gilgit Baltistan Province. Afghanistan also added them to their protected species list in 2009, thus banning all hunting and trade within the country (para. Justine acts as the Regional Ecologist for the Snow Leopard Trust and supports research and conservation work across China, Mongolia, Pakistan, India and Pakistan. In Pakistan, WCS has created a multi-year program to help protect one of the last extensive high-elevation arid conifer forest ecosystems in Gilgit-Baltistan, home to the snow leopard and the snow leopard’s key prey species across much of this region, the flare-horned markhor. Conserving Snow Leopards, Securing Water Resources, and Benefiting Communities. Only a few hundred are believed to exist within Pakistan, and it was listed as Critically Endangered in Pakistan in the 2003 IUCN Pakistan Red List. Despite this, snow leopard populations are still thought to be dwindling across most of their range. 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