Introduction to Wildlife Gilgit-Baltistan
Gilgit-Baltistan without
any doubt can be termed as living museum for wildlife. Varieties of
wild animals & birds like Marcopolo Sheep, Ibex, Markhore, Urial,
Blue Sheep, Lynx, Snow leopard, brown and Black bears, Wolf, Fox,
Marmote, Chakor, Rame Chakor. One of the rare species Tibetan wild
ass is also found in Shimshall valley of upper Hunza. All these
resources are being managed for their survival and multiplication
through establishment of National Parks, Game Sanctuaries and Game
Reserves community conserved areas. The Gilgit-Baltistan Government
has declared nine community controlled hunting areas in the past
jointly managed by the communities, International NGOs and the
Gilgit-Baltistan Government.
Owing to the vast potential of the area, the wildlife Division of
Forest Department Gilgit-Baltistan had initiated trophy hunting
programme in collaboration with the International NGOs, like AKRSP,
IUCN, WWF & concerned communities with the objective to provide
incentives in shape of income from suitable management introducing
participatory approach on experimental basis in the year 1993.
Lessons learned from the participatory approach, it can safely be
concluded that the population of wild animals is on the increase
despite various natural calamities peculiar to the fragile mountain
eco-system of Gilgit-Baltistan. From comparison of population
dynamics of the past, we are confident that the trophy-hunting
programme is paying its worth in term of success in conservation of
biodiversity.
JEROV
