Common leopard, Human Being Conflict and Ecosystem

Common leopard, Human Being Conflict and Ecosystem

Common leopard killed in LalaZar Park

According to the red list of International Union for Conservation of Nature

(IUCN) the beautiful animal Leopards is under threat.

Pakistan is home of two different big cats, Common leopard and Snow leopard. Both are found on the high mountains of Himalaya, Karakorum, HinduKush and surrounded forests, mountains. According to the official and experts sources snow leopard found in the area of Chitral, Gilgit and snowing mountains areas. For the conservation of Snow Leopard average effects done by different organizations and media. Some world known media houses produced videos for the awareness of community. But on the other side they not highlighted the common leopard. Only one recognized organization world wide fund – Pakistan (WWF)P is running a project on Common Leopard.

Last year WWF with the collaboration of Wild Life department Khyber Pakhtwoan Khawa captured a common leopard and radio collared it for further investigation and study . According to WWF, team successfully captured a male common leopard and radio satellite collared the animal. The Common Leopard was weighted and morphometric details and DNA samples collected. Still time investigation not shared with media.

Radio Collared Leopard

In Pakistan Common Leopard found in the moist temperature forests of Margala Hill National park, Murree reserve forest park, Ayubia National Park, Kashmir and adjacent forests of khyper Pakhtwaoon khwa , Azad Kashmir and Kashmir. This vagrant animal also found in deciduous and coniferous forests.

This scribe involves reporting on Common Leopard since from more than ten years. During this period cover different aspects. In fact big threat to Common leopard is to conflict with human being, illegal hunting and neglecting of concerns departments. Although Common leopard is protected with wildlife laws. But it is learnt that in the past few years record numbers of common leopard are killed in which few are on record and many are not on the record. In the result number of common leopards is reduced rapidly.

Area of the Ayubai Natioanl Park (Gaillat), Margala Hill National park, Murree reserve forest park ,Kashmir and other areas are the habitats for Common Leopards. But due to rapid deforestation Common Leopards are losing their habitats. Which cause lack of prey base for food and in search of prey common leopard attacks on live stocks and human beings. Due to which some horrible incidents happen in 2005 and 2012. when five women and two children’s were mauled by common leopard. These incidents become major cause of conflict between common leopard and human beings and result many common leopards are killed.

Ayubai Natioanl Park(Gaillat), Margala Hill National park, Murree reserve forest park, Kashmir and other areas are habitats for common leopards from hundreds of years. According to experts this wild cat has no conflict with human beings. Its loves to live in its habitats and marked territory. But when human beings destroys its habitats then common leopard step toward population in search of food. In the result of which different incidents happen and conflict started. Common leopard is not responsible for this conflict. Human beings, communities, Government, concern authorities are responsible for it .Concerns departments not fulfil their duties. They have no plan to safe forests, no plantation, , illegal constructions raise many environmental issues (jpg urdu).

sotry illegal construction

These all issues also become strong reason to harm natural eco. If common leopard going to decline then human life will also suffer.

Unfortunately authorities, government andcommunity are not going to understand alarming situation. In last recent year at least five common leopards were missing from custody of wild life department(News item jpg urdu).

Story published about missing leopards

That all wild cats were problematic and they are in the custody of wild life department for the conservation. An inquiry community was constituted to probe the matter but no results share still. There are reports of illegal hunting . Situation going worst and except from few environment friendly other kept their deadly silences.

In short natural eco system is in the favour of human beings. Common leopard and other wild life is also important part of ecological system. Harm to these wild life issues will surely harm human lives. There is a time when Galliat spring was pure drinking water full of nutrition but recent search prove that now water is contaminated with Coliform bacteria (News item jpg urdu)