Markhor deaths due to climate change, official

CHITRAL, April 13, 2011: According to a handout released by Mr. Imtiaz Hussain, Divisional Forest officer Wildlife Division Chitral, the major causes for the loss of the Markhors was lungs and pannonia diseases due to climate change.

Mr. Imtiaz said that Tooshi-Shaha Game reserve spreads over an area of 20,000 hectares, and supports good population of Markhors. This game reserve is managing on participatory approach, jointly by Wildlife Department and local
communities through Wildlife Act 1975 and Private Game Reserve Rule 1993. He also confirmed that every year Markhors of below one year age died in the area due to Climate change. He said the department has formed an inquiry team which consists of expert from Wildlife Department Chitral, Livestock Department Chitral and WWF-Pakistan Chitral in order to look in to the matter and the said inquiry team is visited the area and conformed seven death Markhors less than one year of ages.
Mr. Imtiaz said the news published in some local newspapers regarding the high rate of losses of Markhor in Tooshi-Shaha Game reserve was not based on facts and the actual story was not highlighted.

He said that according to livestock specialists the mortality was due to climate change and disturbance and variation in the local environment.--Kashif Ahmad