WWF-Pakistan captures footage of snow leopard hunting Himalayan ibex

KARACHI: In a rare occurrence, WWF-Pakistan captured footage of a snow leopard hunting a Himalayan ibex in Khunjerab National Park, approximately 15 kilometres from the Pak-China border.

The video was released to commemorate World Wildlife Day, which aims to raise awareness about animals, bird species conservation and threats to their existence, the WWF-Pakistan said on Wednesday.

It shows a snow leopard stealthily chasing a herd of Himalayan ibex on steep precipitous cliffs. After a successfully capturing an ibex, the snow leopard can be seen feasting on carcass, who is then joined by two other cats.

Recorded by a wildlife photographer, Muhammad Osama, the video shows the elusive cat in its natural habitat hunting for prey, indicating a healthy and thriving ecosystem that supports large populations of Himalayan ibex and snow leopards in the area.

According to Muhammad Osama, wildlife photographer, he followed the ibex herd in the brutal cold with the temperature as low as -18 Celsius while searching for fresh snow leopard pugmarks, which eventually confirmed the presence of leopards in the area. Since snow leopards are crepuscular in nature, the search took place during dawn and dusk.

"Capturing this hunt was once in a lifetime experience as it involved hours of tireless tracking, climbing mountains, and withstanding freezing cold temperatures," he added.

Sharing his comments on the video, Hammad Naqi Khan, Director-General, WWF-Pakistan said that he hopes it will create awareness about the incredible wildlife found in Pakistan and our responsibility to protect it.

He also shared that many species in Pakistan, and globally, face mounting threats due to deforestation and human encroachment which leads to habitat degradation, while new threats such as unsustainable infrastructure and climate change are also emerging.

As a result, the survival of wildlife such as the snow leopard, Indus River dolphin, common leopard, pangolins, brown bear and white-backed vultures hangs in the balance.

WWF's Living Planet Report 2020 shows that in less than 50 years, human activity has resulted in wildlife populations plummeting by an average of 68 per cent globally. If serious efforts are not made, some of these animals will head to extinction in the near future.

With wildlife constituting a critical part of the ecosystem, this biodiversity loss will result in a planet that cannot support current and future generations of people.

Khan also urged that the government should ensure that the existing protected areas in the country should be managed and restored, so that wildlife can flourish in healthy landscapes.

He further stressed that on World Wildlife Day, all stakeholders including the concerned Wildlife Departments should commit to protect Pakistan's incredible wildlife through a robust conservation strategy.

For more than five decades, WWF-Pakistan has been making all possible efforts to restore and conserve endangered wildlife species in the country by supporting the management of national parks, increasing prey population, addressing human wildlife conflict and illegal wildlife trade.

Prior to filming the snow leopard hunt, in January 2021, WWF-Pakistan's filming crew also filmed a herd of 50 Himalayan ibex near Passu Glacier in Hunza Valley.

The spotting was an encouraging sign, indicating that apex predators such as the snow leopard have enough food to survive on.

Although these places are important as habitats for snow leopards and other wildlife, they also have immense significance for the millions of people downstream who depend on the area's precious glacier waters for their livelihoods and drinking water.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021