Protecting wildlife
By Karim Muhammad Khan
Like other districts in GB, the valleys and mountains of District Ghizer are also home to many types of wildlife species such as markhore, ibexes, snow leopards, pheasants, chokores, doves, and ducks. These species indeed add to the natural beauties of the region, attract tourists and maintain natural ecological balance. Though there are wild life conservations in some of the valleys in GB but most of them are without any wildlife protection mechanism due to which their population particularly markhore, ibexes, doves and ducks are endangered due to rampant hunting in the region.
Seasonal birds are now prone to extinction in the region particularly ducks, seagulls and swans which migrate from Polar Regions to GB in spring season especially in March and April and before their arrival to the region hunters make their preparation i.e repairing their guns with cartridge and build pools and small bankers along the river sides and go there at dawn; take position in their self made bankers and wait for the prey and several shots of gun firing are heard near the villages during the season.
Moreover, doves appear in the area sitting in trees during the month of May and it looks very beautiful, simple and is regarded the symbol of peace. This year hundreds of doves were killed in different villages of District Ghizer alone as too many shots were heard daily and it seemed that gun fighting was going on somewhere in and around the villages. Even novice hunters hunted dozens of them and at time, some youngsters uploaded themselves in social media with killed doves holding in one hand and gun in another as a pride and it was indeed an astonishing that how irrational the people were becoming regarding their environment and wildlife and neither the government concerned department took any action against the hunters.
Succinctly, to protect the endangered seasonal birds and other wild life like ibexes illegal and rampant hunting areas must be conserved and protected by all the residents of the area. Otherwise, theses beautiful wildlife can be wiped out from the mountains and valleys of the region very soon and the region will look abscond of such species. In this connection, strict legislation needs to be made by local government GB and execute them in letter and spirit by law enforcement agencies in all districts of GB.
Beside, the number of game watchers can be increased and depute them in different hunting points to watch the movements of hunters scrupulously and report to the department concerned department and law enforcement agencies regularly. Awareness programmes and walks should be arranged in educational institutions with the cooperation of village elders and civil society. Awareness campaign can also be raised through electronic, print and social media in order to protect wildlife. Finally strict actions have to be taken against violation of wildlife protection laws.
