Sir: Gilgit-Baltistan is rich with flora and fauna. Some rare species are found here included: Marco Polo sheep, ibex, markhors, blue sheep, lynx, snow leopard, leopard cat, brown and black bears, fox, wolf, marmot, chakor and ram chakor and golden eagle. But, with the growing illegal hunting and auction permits provided to amateurish foreign hunters from GB wildlife department, the population of already endangered species is shrinking rapidly. Some of the species are at the brink of extinction.
Until recently, in Astore district, an American citizen is given permit to hunt markhor. Similarly, back in September 2018, GB wildlife department auctioned 113 permits. Besides this, many illegal hunting from some of the locals also drags these species towards extinction.
It is claimed that that 80 percent of income of these hunting is used to develop education and health sector but these sectors are same as were in past.
GB authorities must save wildlife preserve it instead of their extinction.
ZAHID ALI ZOHRI
Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan