Efforts to prevent wildlife extinction in Badakhshan

Wildlife Conservation Society has launched a program with the participation of environmental officials, religious scholars, youth, students and civil activists of northeastern provinces in Faizabad, capital of Badakhshan, to revise national wildlife conservation strategy, in which public views and opinions will be collected on preventing wildlife hunting and extinction.
According to officials, involving people in wildlife protection is one of the priorities of Afghan government, and they are working to avert poaching and extinction of certain species.
Zalmai Moheb, a wildlife protection department official, said Pamir highs, the second national park of Afghanistan, is a main wildlife habitat, and that the department is working to spread awareness about wildlife to prevent animal poaching and trafficking, receive public opinion and strategies about mechanisms to avoid hunting and include them in national wildlife conservation strategy.
Zia-ul Haq Kamran, Head of Environment Department in Badakhshan, stated the situation of wildlife in the province was worrying due to increase in poaching, and they were working to solve the problem by finalizing an action plan.
He added that although Environment Department, in coordination with other government agencies and Wildlife Conservation Society, has been striving for several years to prevent extinction of some species, but hasn’t succeeded so far.
Pamir is a major habitat for wildlife, including some of the world’s rarest animals like the Marco Polo deer, snow leopard, snake-eating, Ibex and Urial goats. But according to environmental officials, hunting by irresponsible gunmen has raised concerns about their extinction.
Reporter: Samiullah Saihon