Markhor Population in Chitral Drops 35% Since 2019 Due to KP Govt’s Decisions

The Markhor population in the Chitral Gol National Park has decreased by 35% since 2019, with KP’s Wildlife Department turning a blind eye to the dwindling population of the endangered animal.

According to details, 2,868 Markhors were present in Chitral Gol National Park at the start of 2019 in the park. Since then, the number has gradually dropped to 2,000.

When contacted for an explanation, the provincial Wildlife Department claimed that a ‘mysterious disease’ has killed hundreds of Markhors in the park.

Local residents of Chitral have rubbished these claims and argued that they have never seen a body of a Markhor getting decomposed in the park. This suggests that illegal poaching is the only reason behind the dwindling Markhor population.

An official of the provincial Wildlife Department, on the condition of anonymity, disclosed that the ruling PTI government stopped the salaries of local watchers and staffers in 2019.

This caused the locals to give up their jobs and look for other employment opportunities to make ends meet. As a result of the shortage of staff, illegal poaching activities in the Chitral Gol National Park increased and this resulted in the decrease of the Markhor population by 35% since 2019.

Speaking in this regard, Abdul Akbar Chitrali, a local politician and environmentalist, claimed that the actual population of Markhor stands below 800 at the moment and the animal is on the verge of extinction.

He accused Chief Conservator and District Forest Officer of the Wildlife Department of colluding with the poachers to let them hunt the endangered animal for a few bucks.

It must be noted here that the incumbent provincial government had launched a trophy hunting program to involve the local community in the conservation of the endangered animal. Around 80% of each trophy hunting permit issued under the program is spent on the development of local infrastructure.