Leopard encounters can be saved amid public awareness: IWMB

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 19 (APP): Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) official Thursday claimed that leopard and wildlife encounters could be saved amid public awareness to avoid shooting the endangered species.

Assistant Director IWMB Sakhawat Ali told APP that snowfall in the northern hilly areas of the country especially the potential habitats of snow leopards and other wild cats make the prey more conspicuous for the predators that reduces the possibility of migration from their habitats.

However, a leopard encounter could be handled safely if the person remains calm and quiet without creating panic. “Most of the violent human wildlife encounters occur due to the people who are unfamiliar with wildlife as they start shouting and assaulting at the wild animal, which not only scares rather provokes them to retaliate in response,” he added.

Sakhawat said there was need for making people realize that they should better call the wildlife department officials to deal with the situation like the one in Swat’s Sar Banda area where locals shot dead a snow leopard attacking a residential area.

This might have not happened if the local people tackled the situation sensibly, however, it was fact that humans were bothered by the wild cats’ presence in their areas.

There were two possibilities either to catch the leopard alive or give it a safe route to escape, the Assistant Director IWMB said.

The IWMB team had also spotted a leopard moving near Trail 6 office of the board during the wee hours a few days back as the wild cat was moving with her cubs. “The IWMB officials confirmed the presence of the leopard due to the pug marks or foot prints,” he added.

IWMB had also managed to reduce leopard hunting in the Margalla Hills National Park where during the past year a young leopard was shot down. “Through extensive education and awareness the board has convincingly apprised the masses to shun hunting of the endangered leopards in the park. The local people were compelled to do so as leopards used to attack their livestock which was causing them serious economic losses whereas the situation has now changed,” he said.

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