Tag: Himalayan ibex

  • VIDEO: 50 rare Himalayan ibex spotted in Hunza valley

    As many as 50 rare Himalayan ibex, including females with their young ones, were spotted by officials of the World Wide Fund (WWF) near Khyber village in Hunza Valley.

    According to WWF, the Himalayan Ibex is found at an average altitude of 3,660 meters and they usually come down the mountain due to snow and in search of food in the winter season.

    Elaborating further, the animal rights body said: “The population faces numerous threats across its range in Pakistan, from habitat loss to illegal hunting, climate change, and lack of awareness about the species.”

    “Despite these challenges, a significant increase has been recorded in their population as a result of continued and concerted efforts of the local community, Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Department and WWF,” it added.

    A survey conducted in 2019 by the government and local communities revealed that almost 1500 ibex were sighted in Ghulkin catchments in recent years.

    “The sighting of such a large herd is a welcome indicator of the conservation success of WWF in its fiftieth year in Pakistan,” expressed WWF-Pakistan Senior Director Programmes Rab Nawaz.

    VIDEO: Man in Chitral jumps into river to save baby Markhor from drowning

    The photographs of the ibex have been captured by photographers Nyal Mueenuddin and Imtiaz Ahmed.

  • Man arrested for killing over 100 rare ibex in Gilgit-Baltistan

    Man arrested for killing over 100 rare ibex in Gilgit-Baltistan

    The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) wildlife department has arrested a man for killing more than 100 Himalayan ibex in the region.

    Read more – Rare striped hyena rescued in DI Khan

    According to a report in The Express Tribune, the culprit Mohammad Essa was arrested while he was on his way home in the Hoper village of district Nagar. A wildlife official said that Essa’s car was raided on a tip-off and about 30 kg of meat was discovered in the vehicle.

    The accused was arrested immediately and during an investigation, it was revealed that he used to supply meat to some government officials and other influential people to oblige them.

    An official statement said that the culprit was presented before a forest magistrate/DFO Gibran Haider on Wednesday where he confessed to killing over 100 ibex. The magistrate sentenced him to one-year imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs140,000 under the Wildlife Act 1975.

    Read more – Spanish hunter pays $83,500 to kill season’s third markhor in Gilgit

    The arrest sent waves of shock in the region, where trophy hunting was believed to have discouraged illegal hunting of such precious wild species. The long-horned animal is one of the 18 rare species for which a hunting permit is officially allowed in G-B under the trophy hunting programme. Last year the hunting fee was about Rs110,000.

    The Himalayan ibex is native to the Karakoram, Hindukush and Himalayan mountain ranges of Gilgit-Baltistan.

    Man arrested for dragging dog in Karachi

    Meanwhile, a man was arrested in Karachi for dragging a dog with his car. According to ACF Animal Rescue, the incident took place on Siraj-ud-Daula Road, near Alamgir Masjid in Karachi. When some people behind the car tried to stop the car and save the dog, the person behind the wheel just drove faster.

    The dog was dragged along until he died.

    A video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking public outrage following which the authorities took immediate notice and sprang into action.

    https://twitter.com/amnaappi/status/1268287579268538369?s=20

    A case has also been registered against the culprit.