According to a research, snow leopards in G-B are seriously threatened by infrastructure development
According to a new research by the World Wildlife Federation (WWF)-Pakistan, infrastructure development, notably road building, is endangering the habitat of the elusive snow leopard in the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) area.
“The habitat of the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) may be compromised by rapid infrastructure development, particularly in the area of Gilgit-Baltistan. This might lead to disturbances in the big cats’ migration patterns and a rise in conflicts between humans and animals. Heavy traffic on the roadways also kills domestic cattle and Himalayan ibex, two of the snow leopard’s prey species, according to the study.
Under the project named Building Ecological and Sustainable Transport/Linear Infrastructure for Snow Leopards in the Hindu Kush Karakoram Himalaya Landscape in Pakistan (BEAST), WWF-Pakistan has been conducting baseline research. With assistance from the Huatai Foundation, Amity Foundation, Pecking University Center for Nature and Society, and Tencent Foundation, the project was funded by the With Snow Leopards Small Grant (SLSG).
According to the report, there has to be a balance struck between protecting the region’s vulnerable species, including snow leopards, and accelerating the construction of infrastructure. According to the research, a variety of animals, including the endangered snow leopard, may be found in the G-B area. It made clear that the habitat of the leopard has been divided by the linear infrastructure expansion that has sliced across the terrain. According to the research, while linear infrastructure boosted local and national economy, it also hindered animal migration and put ungulates and other snow leopard prey at risk.
The study gathered information on infrastructure-related hazards to the species and their habitat in the G-B region, with a focus on the larger road ecology subject. It gathered information on wildlife-vehicle incidents, looked into how growing infrastructure affects interactions between people and animals, and examined land use changes over the last 20 years in areas known to be snow leopard hotspots.
The study focused on the two main thoroughfares that split the habitat of snow leopards: the Gilgit-Shandur Road and the Karakoram Highway (KKH). With the goal of strengthening the capacities of pertinent stakeholders, increasing awareness, and promoting sustainable and green infrastructure planning and development in the Hindukush-Karakoram-Himalaya (HKH) region, WWF-Pakistan launched the Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative in 2019 against the backdrop of the G-B region’s explosive infrastructure growth.
In response to the report, Director General of WWF-Pakistan Hammad Naqi Khan stated that although infrastructure development initiatives support trade and tourism, they should also take into account environmental and species conservation concerns. According to him, the projects’ negative effects might be prevented with careful planning, environmentally friendly infrastructure, and an integrated strategy that supports the preservation of biodiversity and the health of the natural ecosystem. In order to evaluate the effects of infrastructure development on animal populations in vital habitats, Khan continued, “it is crucial to build upon this study and undertake further investigations on wildlife movement and migration patterns.”
According to the research, the pristine terrain and local biodiversity in G-B are under danger due to growing hospitality projects and extensive transportation infrastructure development. The study recommended that human encroachment, linear development, and adherence to existing wildlife regulations be forbidden in protected areas.
Additionally, it suggested that building wildlife crossings and corridors in areas that may support wildlife could help limit wildlife’s access to busy highways and lower the likelihood of incidents between animals and vehicles. According to the study, poaching and hunting of snow leopards and their prey species may be prevented by stationing committed law enforcement and traffic officers near wildlife hotspots. Moreover, it recommended that development projects pertaining to infrastructure should use proactive measures for mitigation in order to protect the natural ecosystem and wildlife.
Numerous research findings suggest that snow leopards are secretive creatures, making it challenging to pinpoint their precise number within their distribution zone in Central and South Asia. But according to WWF data from 2020, there are only around 7,000 snow leopards left in the world, of which 200 to 420 live in Pakistan’s northern mountain ranges, which include the G-B, K-P, and AJK areas.
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