Tag: WWF Pakistan

  • 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.

  • VIDEO: Himalayan lynx attacks Markhor in Chitral

    With a decrease in human activity all over the world, animals, some which have rarely been seen before, are coming out of their hiding places and exploring their surroundings without an interference.

    Recently, WWF-Pakistan released a never seen before footage of the Himalayan lynx, captured on the steep rocky cliffs of Chitral Valley, Pakistan. According to officials, this is the first time that the nocturnal hunter and highly elusive animal has been filmed in the area.

    The video which is intense and chilling shows the cat observe and successfully hunt her prey.

    “While filming a group of markhor grazing in the Tooshi-Shasha Wildlife Conservancy recently, our field production team and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department spotted this lynx crouching in a camouflaged position behind a rock, about to begin a hunt,” shared the animal protection organisation. “What followed was a dramatic scene few have ever witnessed – a lynx stalking and successfully killing a yearling markhor.”

    Watch the full video here:

    According to WWF, “the Himalayan lynx is one of the most elusive and powerful cats living in these mountains, rivaled only by the famous snow leopard. As an apex predator, the lynx plays an essential role in maintaining the balance and health of this complex mountain ecosystem.”

    The lynx is considered to be rare species and is known to be present in Chitral and other northern areas of Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan, although its exact distribution and range are not known.

    Earlier, a brown bear was also spotted in Laspur Valley in Chitral by the locals.