http://www.groundreport.com/Business/Snow-Leopard-Hunted-Markhot/2917960by G. H. Farooqui February 15, 2010
Snow leopard hunted Markhor CHITRAL: A snow Leopard successfully hunted a Markhor at Shahresham area of Toshi conservation territory Divisional Forest officer of Wild Life Imtiaz Hussain Lal confirmed killing of a Markhor by a Snow leopard. He said that this is the fist attempt of a Snow leopard who hunted and killed a Markhor in this winter season. He said earlier that a foreign TV channel team has arrived here to shoot snow leopard hunting but snow leopard was not came down to ground areas and now he entered the inhabitants of markhor. Hence Shahzada Gul general Secretary of Al-Burkhan village conservation Committee (VCC) disclosed that this is second attempt and hunting of a snow leopard where a Markhor was his target and he successfully killed her and eaten. Dead body of Markhor is lying on river bank at Garamchishma road while snow leopard also lying there near to Markhor and a large number of people approaching there to see snow leopard. Shahzada Gul said that existing of Snow leopard is a good act and our tourism especially Eco tourism can be promoted promptly by this way. He said that hundred of Markhor and Ibex living in Toshi area and Snow leopard came their in their search to hunt and eat them. These Markhor and Ibex came down at Afternoon time to drink water from the river. G.H. Farooqi PO Bxo No. 50 GPO Chitral Pakistan phone No. 03025989602, 0943-302295, 414418 Email: gulhamad@gmail.com
In my childhood in Kashmir (India), during unprecedented snowfall in winter many wildlife animals such as black bear, dear and rare pheasant species would come down to villages in search of food. Often times people in villages would chase these animals. I think killing of a Markhor by snow leopard in Chitral close to human settlements is not that unnatural phenomenon as both the animal species share the same range.Such scenes of wildlife species roaming and killing close to mountain villages are now going to be more frequent.
Snow leopard hunts down Markhor
Friday, February 19, 2010
By Our correspondent
CHITRAL: A snow leopard hunted down a Markhor near Shahresham in the Toshi conservation area, an official of the Forest Department said Wednesday.
Divisional Forest Officer Wildlife Imtiaz Hussain said the incident was the first of its kind in which a snow leopard caught a Markhor, the largest member of the goat family, in the winter season. He said that earlier a foreign TV channel team had arrived to shoot scenes of snow leopards hunting Markhors but they could not do so as there were no leopards in the area at the time.
Al-Burkhan Village Conservation Committee (VCC) General Secretary Shahzada Gul said this was the second attempt of a snow leopard to hunt down a Markhor. He said presence of snow leopards was a good omen for tourism in the area, adding that it would attract more people to come to Chitral.
“Hundreds of Markhors and Ibex are living in the Toshi area,” he said, adding that Markhor and Ibex often came down in the afternoon to drink water from the river.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=225062