Pakistan Leads Global Efforts in Markhor Conservation

Ali Jabir

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam, announced that Pakistan is at the forefront of global efforts in community-based conservation of the Markhor and other wild goats and sheep, whose populations are flourishing in the northern region of the country. 

During a press conference held in honor of International Markhor Day, Alam, accompanied by Ghulam Qadir Shah, Inspector General of Forest at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, emphasized the national celebration of the Markhor’s day, in line with United Nations initiatives to raise awareness about its conservation and ecological importance.

Alam highlighted that the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution on May 2nd to commemorate global Markhor Day, drawing attention to the species’ critical role in the natural ecosystem and the existential threats it faces due to irresponsible human behavior and anthropogenic activities.

The mountainous region of the country particularly Gilgit Baltistan, Chitral, Kohistan, Swat, Dir, and Balochistan were the habitats of more than a dozen of wild goats and sheep including Ibex, Markhor, Urial, Himalayan Gorel, Blue Sheep and Marco Polo Sheep, she added.

“Markhor is an enchanting tough and highly impressive wild Capra that resides in the harsh mountainous terrain and its not only important part of the natural food chain but also a major source of livelihood for the local populace,” she said.

She underlined that the sports hunting meant for conservation through trophy hunting was criticized by the masses but it was a complete conservation programme under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

“Under this programme, only 12 out of 4500 total markhors existing in our mountains are picked who are mainly aged for trophy hunting whereas the massive amount garnered from this activity is mostly spent on the improvement of their breeding spaces and habitats,” Romina Khursheed Alam said. 

In her message, on the occasion, to the world, the PM’s Coordinator said that the government of Pakistan was proud to reckon that the people of Pakistan, public and private organizations, and professionals associated with forests and wildlife, especially Markhor, were committed to ensure the conservation of biodiversity and wild species. 

Moreover, she said the country was also welcoming the entire world to learn from its experiences in this regard and would share its knowledge to the countries willing to learn. She prayed to the Almighty for progress and prosperity in the efforts to conserve wildlife and forests and other sectors of the country. 

In his remarks, IG Forest, Ghulam Qadir Shah mentioned that the population of Markhor had witnessed growth that had further increased the responsibility in the community. Shah added that the data pertaining to the snake-horned wild goat was available with the Ministry. 

However, it had a specific territory that also includes other wild animals as well, he said. “In the 1990s, Markhor’s numbers had plummeted to a drastic level whereas 18 percent of Pakistan is for Markhor and snow leopard. Some 3,000-5,000 Markhors are present in Pakistan.

In 2000, a policy was made for trophy hunting that allowed a quota initially of 6 and later 12 Markhors to be hunted in a season whereas this hunting quota is extended to the international level,” he explained.

Shah informed that during the past year, the most expensive hunting permit was sold for USD 186,000, whereas 20 percent of this amount went to the wildlife department and rest to the community.