50 cattle killed by snow leopard in Khunzhrav
Posted on November 21, 2010 by Pamir Times| http://pamirtimes.net/
Khunzhrav (misspelled as Khunjrab), November 2010: The big cat (Snow Leopard) has killed over four dozen sheeps and goats belonging to Mirza Muhammad of Moorkhun village, in Gojal Valley.
According to reports the beast attacked at night and killed the sheeps and goat, without facing any resistance from anyone.
Locals were of the view that as part of the Snow Leopard Conservation Project, killing of the beast has been legally prohibited, because of endangered status among the world’s rarest animals.
While appreciating the need to not kill the Snow Leopard, the locals are worried about safety of their cattle, which are major means of livelihood for many families.
Whether the cattle were attacked by one or more Snow Leopards is unclear
In the past similar incidents of cattle being killed by the Snow Leopard have taken place but the farmers have not been compensated by the government or other relevant organizations.
There is a fear that the locals might resort to killing of the endangered animal to save their cattle. In order to stop this from happening, it is important that the national and international organizations devise proper compensation plans for the affected farmers.
I agree that snow leopard might have attacked sheep goats and would have killed a large number of them and compensation is needed from the Park officials. However, I doubt snow leopard would attack cattle(cows) because of couple of reasons:
1. I worked as Program Director of the Snow leopard conservation program in Pakistan and never heard or saw a single case whereby cattle were attacked by snow leopards.
2. Cattle usually don’t share habitat with snow leopards
3. Cattle are of heavy size and can depend themselves against snow leopard attacks.
A team of the Snow Leopard Foundation, Pakistan visited the affected family, and here we provide more details about the incident:
Depredation Report
This is in connection with the news report of snow leopard depredation on livestock in Khunjerab National Park (KNP), District Hunza-Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan by Pamir Times; the Snow Leopard Foundation, Pakistan team during the occupancy surveys of KNP visited the predation spot on November 24, 2010 and concluded the following.
The depredation case occurred in Dhee Nallah (Nallah-stream in local language), which is located at 36. 9N/74.9E and falls in the core zone of Khunjerab National Park. KNP was established on April 29, 1975 on the recommendation of the eminent wildlife biologist Dr. George Schaller for the protection of Marco Polo Sheep and snow leopard. The total area of the park is about 226,913 hectors and is the third largest national park of Pakistan.
Livestock grazing is practiced in most part of the Park, so as in the Dhee Nallah. According to Mr. Mirza Muhammad (affectee) the incident occurred on November 19, 2010 at about midnight. The snow leopard entered one of his corrals and killed 47 sheep and goats before leaving the pen. Canine punctures on the neck and broken neck of the corpses revealed the attack of the cat. Although Mirza Muhammad didn’t see the cat by himself but opined that when snow leopard attacks on livestock, the animals didn’t make clatters, but this happens in the case of wolf. Furthermore, he told the survey team that he saw 3 snow leopards in the same area on January 5, 2010. These sorts of incidents are although rare yet more devastating and this has happened 6 times during the last 40 years, the most perilous incident occurred in 1976 when he lost 80 heads in one night, he added. About 500 animals are still kept in the area.
According to Mira Muhammad the population of snow leopard in the park has increased many folds with the increase of the population of Ibex (primary prey of snow leopard). In other Nallahs the grazing is seasonal but in Dhee Nallah livestock are kept throughout the year. The corrals in this nallah are lying in the main route of snow leopard as the area is a narrow valley surrounded by high mountains of above 15000 feet. The livestock pens have been constructed in the confluence of small streams and snow leopard has naturally to move through this area while coming down from the one ridge and climbing on the other.
On the very next day the survey team noticed many fresh and old signs (scrapes, pugmarks, scats, and scent sprays) of snow leopard on the left side of the stream along the slope of about 2.5 km in length. The whole area was intensively marked by the cat and the scrapes were aged from 1-7 days to 3-5 years respectively. The substrate being clayish all marks were visible and on most cases clumped scrapes were noticed.
The reports of Park Directorate and other conservation organizations estimates the population of Ibex >5000 and that of snow leopard 52-60. The team initially estimated 10-12 Ibex/km in the same Nallah and the number of Ibex estimated could be rational but 50-60 snow leopards in the area of about 2300km2 seems questionable unless detailed study using authentic tools is conducted in the area. We may be able to speak about it more confidently, once the results of the recent surveys i.e. occupancy estimates, genetic foot printing, and camera trapping are complied.
However, whatever the status of the cat and other carnivores are, Mira Muhammad can’t forget the recent loss (about 5600US$) easily as livestock rearing is the main source of livelihood of his family. His family may suffer at least for two years to overcome the loss. The conservationists need to frame practical solutions to address these issues, so that the snow leopard and these mountain communities live in harmony in the harshest places of our planet like Khunjerab.
Jaffar Ud Din,
Snow Leopard Foundation
Dear All,
“However, whatever the status of the cat and other carnivores are, Mirza Muhammad can’t forget the recent loss (about 5600US$) easily as livestock rearing is the main source of livelihood of his family. His family may suffer at least for two years to overcome the loss. The conservationists need to frame practical solutions to address these issues, so that the snow leopard and these mountain communities live in harmony in the harshest places of our planet like Khunjerav”
With only add of two alphabets z’ and v,-I do agree with the comments of the two experts. I strongly recommend that the institutions and community are two main pillars for all activities therefore looking both the aspects and creeping togather ud be the best solutions.
One more request to the experts it is KHoun-Jarav————–The actual spelling—————Khoun—–mean Blood in Wakhi language————Jarav-mean STREAM OR NALA
The expert knows it well why the name of this valley was Blood Stream. Being a native of this valley I request to Dr. Jhon and others to correct the spelling for future references and quotes.
We as a community has serious reservations on such intentionally distortions of the facts———–
Same a chapter observed in a Book written by different Authors and under the name of UNDP the “Green Pioneers, one hundred and one mistakes are in it and the lady writer has written the chapter without any research and narrated most of the matters about KHOUNJARAV-just an oral History.
My humble request to all such personalties is to write the things on fact and logic basis not to just take the favour of some one.