Daily Times

It is utterly disappointing to know that about 90 species of mammals, reptiles and birds are approaching the critical stage of extinction in Pakistan. A few mammals sadly have been reported to vanish from the wildlife’s habitat, which includes tigers, deer, blackbucks, lions and Indian horned rhinoceros.

It has been reported that a few other animals including Asiatic Cheetah, Indian Wild Ass, Hangul, Siberian crane, white-rumped and long-billed vultures and hawksbill turtles are vulnerable to extinction. Besides, several animals are already endangered including Kashmir grey Langurs, Indus dolphins, finback whales, Balochistan beers, green turtles, musks, hog deer and Indian narrow-headed turtles.

In context of wildlife species, the provinces are divided as per biological assets and the provinces are rightly labelled as Himalayan highlands, Pamir Karakoram highlands, Antolia Iranian deserts, Indus Ganges Desert and Thar desert. The wildlife species which are deemed to be endangered and vulnerable to extinction are found in these biological provinces.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has exhibited 37 species of mammals, which are facing threats of extinction and are continually endangered. These species include the Balochistan black bears, Chiltan goats and certain kinds of bats, dogs, cats and otters

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has exhibited 37 species of mammals, which are facing threats of extinction and are continually endangered. The mammal species in these provinces, which are critically endangered, include Balochistan black bears, Chiltan goats, and species of bats, dogs, cats and otters. There is a dire need to adopt strict measures to preserve these endangered species much like the way steps are adopted to safeguard the national animal of Pakistan which is markhor. Similarly, the efforts to preserve the snow leopard should also be rightly implemented for bringing these animal species to the status of being vulnerable rather than being categorically deemed as endangered. Several birds are critically endangered in Pakistan and the prominent ones are houbara bustard and lesser florican. No amphibians luckily are reported to be endangered in Pakistan.

Private experts are adopting stringent measures and practices to ensure the survival of endangered species of birds and mammals. Different laws, measures and practices are adopted to prevent illegal hunting of these birds and mammals. In this respect, the role of Lahore High Court should be appreciated for constituting wildlife commissions for the preservation of protected species of blackbucks and houbara bustard in a petition filed through an animal rights activist and a human rights lawyer Sheraz Zaka. It is appealed to the government to formulate a proactive mechanism for saving the endangered and near to extinct wildlife species of Pakistan.

The writer can be reached at aiyza.javaid@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, January 22^nd 2019.