Iconic snow leopard makes a comeback in rugged terrain of Chitral

CHITRAL: Iconic snow leopard often called the “Ghost of the Mountains,” is making a vibrant comeback in the rugged terrains of Chitral, marking a significant milestone for regional wildlife conservation. After a worrying thirteen-year silence where its sightings were virtually non-existent, the elusive cat has begun appearing frequently across various valleys since last year thereby sparking joy among local communities who viewed the animal’s return as a positive sign for the health of Chitral’s mountain ecology. Saleemuddin, chairman of the Chitral National Park Association, confirmed that the predator had seemingly disappeared from the region mysteriously over a decade ago thereby filling the residents with the fear of its total extinction from the Hindukush belt. He said that over the last one year, however, the snow leopard has been frequently sighted in Lot Koh Valley, inside the Chitral Gol National Park, in Bashqar Gol of Upper Chitral and within the Kalash Valley and Gahiret-Golen conservancy. Experts attributed this “recolonisation” to a thriving food chain coupled with a number of other factors which tempted the wild cat to make a ‘come back’ to the area. Jamiullah Sherazi, regional programme manager of the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) Chitral, credits the return to robust conservation efforts backed by civil society saying that the populations of Kashmir Markhor and Ibex, the snow leopard’s primary prey, have surged due to better protection. “As the Markhor and Ibex descend to lower altitudes in search of winter fodder, the leopard follows them toward the villages, leading to more frequent sightings,” he explained. He said that the density of the population was further evidenced during the recent trophy hunting season. “In Gobor and Booni Gol, hunters reported several instances where snow leopards actually intercepted and attacked the specific Ibex selected for trophy hunting. For conservationists, these encounters are a clear indicator that the snow leo