Leopard conservation strategy ready for execution: minister

Islamabad :Pakistan has endorsed the Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem Programme (GSLEP) by developing its National Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Priorities (NSLEP) and joined other snow leopard range countries for achieving the goal of 'securing 20 landscapes by 2020, three of which falls in Pakistan,' said minister for climate change Senator Mushahidullah Khan.

He also said the ministry had involved all provinces and stakeholders for planning the leopard conservation strategy, whose execution would begin in April 2018.

"Population explosion and climate change is causing the extinction of snow leopard in Pakistan," he told an International Snow Leopard Day event organised by the Snow Leopard Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and other partners here.

The minister praised Dr Ali Nawaz for receiving the Whitely Award for his efforts to conserve snow leopard in Pakistan and said that was a great pride for Pakistan.

Federal Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Syed Abu Ahmad Akif, Ambassador of Norway Dr. Tore Nedrebo and other officials from government and non-government organizations were present at the event.

The International Snow Leopard Day was celebrated to renew the commitment of protecting and conserving the snow leopard, its habitat and the ecosystem. Highlight of the event was screening of documentary by Snow Leopard Foundation “Science, Society and Snow Leopards”, which was greatly liked by the audience. An act by school children and announcement of poster competition were also part of the event. The poster competition was arranged one month earlier as part of the snow leopard day celebrations in snow leopard communities’ schools in its program regions in GilgitBaltistan and Chitral.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Tore Nedrebothe Ambassador of Norway shared his comments and views on climate change. He told the audience that the weather conditions are extreme in Norway as in the snow leopard habitat.

He said Norway established a national disaster relief fund in 1962 to address climate and climate change related damages.

"Such fund can be established in the snow leopard range in Pakistan to cope up with the climate change and impacts. The measures to improve the status of the snow leopard in the Pakistan will have positive impacts on the overall mountain communities and contribute to resilient ecosystems," he said.