The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has observed a rise in leopards being struck by vehicles, suggesting a growing common Asiatic Leopard population. While the increase in the population of endangered species is a good sign, it also emphasizes the importance of raising public awareness of wildlife ecosystems and their habitats.
The KP Wildlife Department maintains a policy of preserving wildlife in their native habitats, and the KP Wildlife Act has been extended to newly merged tribal areas.
To educate the masses about wildlife preservation and conservation, the agency regularly holds awareness seminars in schools, universities, and mosques. Furthermore, they have established a compensation process to reimburse individuals who have suffered livestock loss due to leopard attacks, however, proof is required to confirm that the animal was indeed hunted down by a leopard.
The agency also maintains village-level committees that educate residents on conflict-avoidance methods.Â
The leopard, injured on the Kaghan Highway recently, was retrieved and sent to Dhodial Pheasantry for care before being released back into the wild by the divisional forest officer (DFO) Dhodial, who assured she had completely healed to avoid future attacks on people.Â
